Definition
A simple machine consisting of two inclined planes joined back-to-back, used to split, separate, or hold materials apart. In aviation maintenance and aerodynamics, the wedge shape is also seen in airfoil cross-sections (notably supersonic airfoils) and in tools used during inspection, riveting, or sheet-metal work.
Plain English
A V-shaped or tapered piece used to push things apart, hold them in place, or shape an edge. The thin end goes in first; the thick end does the work.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, rigging, temporary holding, and small trim or alignment adjustments.
Derivation
From Old English 'wecg,' meaning a piece of metal or wood with a tapered edge. The everyday meaning has carried directly into technical use because the shape and function are the same.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding wedge flow helps explain the shock waves that affect control and drag in supersonic aircraft.
Intuition Check
Do not read wedge as just “a triangular shape.” In aircraft use, the important feature is the taper: thin at one end, thicker at the other, so it can create or hold a small separation or adjustment.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic drove a soft aluminum wedge between the two skin panels to separate them without damaging the surface.
Example Sentence 2
Wedge shapes allow clear visualization of how flow turns through an oblique shock.