Plain English Meaning

The wind the wing actually feels as the airplane moves through the air. It always flows toward the wing from the direction the airplane is heading, so if the airplane is moving forward, the relative wind comes straight at it from the front.

Full Definition

The direction of the airflow with respect to the wing, produced by the airplane moving through the air. Relative wind is parallel to and opposite the flight path of the airplane.

Context Anchor

Seen in stall awareness and wing-control discussions, especially when explaining how the wing meets the air before and during a stall.

Derivation

Relative' comes from the Latin 'relatus,' meaning 'carried back' or 'in relation to.' The wind is called 'relative' because it isn't the actual weather wind blowing across the -- it's the wind relative to the moving wing. Whether the air outside is or , the wing still feels a wind created by its own motion through the air.