Definition
A wing planform in which the wings are angled rearward (or, less commonly, forward) from the fuselage rather than extending straight out perpendicular to it. Sweeping the wings delays the onset of compressibility effects at high subsonic speeds and changes the aircraft's stability and stall characteristics.
Plain English
The wings are angled back toward the tail instead of sticking straight out from the side of the airplane.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of alternate wing shapes, especially when comparing straight wings with swept wings on faster aircraft.
Derivation
From the everyday sense of 'swept back,' as in hair or a curve drawn rearward. The word describes the visual shape of the wing — angled back as if pulled toward the tail.
Why Pilots Care
Swept wings behave differently from straight wings near the stall and at low speeds, often requiring higher approach speeds and producing different handling cues. Knowing the wing type helps pilots anticipate aircraft behavior.
Intuition Check
Swept does not mean the wing is clean or has been brushed. Here it means the wing is angled backward or forward when viewed from above.
Example Sentence 1
Most jet airliners use swept wings to perform efficiently at high cruise speeds.
Example Sentence 2
During the design review, the engineer explained why a swept wing improves stability at transonic speeds.