rudder

noun

rud·​der ˈrə-dər 

1

: an underwater blade that is positioned at the stern of a boat or ship and controlled by its helm and that when turned causes the vessel's head to turn in the same direction

2

: a movable auxiliary airfoil on an airplane usually attached at the rear end that serves to control direction of flight in the horizontal plane see airplane illustration

3

: a guiding force or strategy

rudderless

ˈrə-dər-ləs 

adjective

Examples of rudder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Homegrown midfielder Pablo Barrios, meanwhile, has displaced longtime captain Koke as the midfield rudder. —Dermot Corrigan, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024

The tail is configured in a V shape with rudders, and under the tail, VHF antennas offer aerodynamic benefits at high angles. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 29 Aug. 2024

Tesla remains a wild card, many years behind Waymo and the others in safety performance, but trying different and brash approaches with the most unpredictable CEO behind the rudder, able to literally control governments to get his way. —Brad Templeton, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Most airplanes in the world have vertical tails or rudders to prevent Dutch roll instabilities, a combination of yawing and sideways motions with rolling that looks a bit like the movements of a skater. —Ars Technica, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rother, from Old English rōther paddle; akin to Old English rōwan to row

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rudder

noun

rud·​der ˈrəd-ər 

: a flat movable piece (as of wood or metal) attached to the rear of a ship or aircraft for steering