Plain English Meaning

The back edge of the wing — the thin edge that points toward the tail of the airplane.

Full Definition

The rear edge of an airfoil, where airflow from the upper and lower surfaces rejoins after passing over the wing. It is the aft-most line of the wing, stabilizer, or control surface.

Context Anchor

Seen in wing diagrams, angle-of-attack discussions, and preflight inspections of the wing’s rear edge.

Derivation

‘Trailing’ comes from the Old French ‘trailler,’ meaning to drag or follow behind. The trailing edge is the edge that follows behind as the wing moves through the air — the opposite of the , which goes first.