Plain English Meaning
How hard you can pull on a material before it stretches out of shape or snaps.
Full Definition
The maximum pulling force a material can withstand before it breaks or permanently deforms, usually expressed as force per unit of cross-sectional area (for example, pounds per square inch).
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of aircraft structures, especially composite materials, fibers, repairs, and load-carrying parts.
Derivation
From the Latin tendere, meaning 'to stretch.' Tensile strength is literally the strength a material has when being stretched.
Why Pilots Care
It determines whether composite parts like wing skins or fuselage panels will together under loads.