Plain English Meaning
The wheel at the front of the airplane, under the nose, that you steer with on the ground.
Full Definition
The single landing gear wheel located under the forward fuselage of an airplane configured with tricycle landing gear. It supports the front of the aircraft on the ground and is typically steerable for taxiing.
Context Anchor
Seen in weight-and-balance, landing gear, taxiing, takeoff, landing, and ground-handling discussions.
Derivation
“Nose” is used in aviation to mean the forward part of the airplane, and “wheel” means the round part that rolls on the ground. Together, “nose wheel” means the wheel located under the airplane’s forward end.
Why Pilots Care
Weight carried by the nose wheel directly affects steering authority and the of a nose- during braking or operations.