Definition
On a wing or other airfoil, the rearward edge — the edge over which airflow leaves the surface after passing across it. Commonly used in the phrase 'trailing edge,' the opposite of the leading edge.
Plain English
The back edge of the wing, where the air comes off after flowing over and under it.
Context Anchor
Seen when identifying wing parts, especially in the phrase trailing edge.
Derivation
From the verb 'trail,' meaning to follow behind or come after. The trailing edge is the edge that 'comes after' as air flows from front to back across the wing.
Why Pilots Care
Many key control surfaces — ailerons, flaps, elevators — are mounted along trailing edges. Knowing front from back of an airfoil is essential for understanding how lift is produced and how controls work.
Intuition Check
Trailing does not mean something is dragging loose behind the airplane here. It means the rear part of the wing, the part that follows after the front edge as air moves past.
Example Sentence 1
The flaps extend downward from the trailing edge of the wing to increase lift at lower airspeeds.
Example Sentence 2
Ice often forms first along the leading edge but can also affect the trailing edge during flight.