wingspread

Wingspread refers to the distance between the tips of an animal's or object's wings, i.e., the span of the wings. In ornithology and aviation, the term wingspread is often used interchangeably with wingspan. It is measured as the maximum distance from tip to tip when the wings are fully extended.

Wingspread is influenced by anatomy and flight style, and is typically expressed in meters or feet. In birds, wingspread varies widely by species, from small songbirds with a few tens of centimeters to large birds such as albatrosses and condors with spans exceeding three meters. In aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, wingspread can affect lift, stability, and performance; higher aspect ratio wings are more efficient for gliding, while shorter spans can enhance maneuverability.

Wingspread is also the name of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Wind Point, Wisconsin. Built 1937–1939 for Herbert and Elizabeth Johnson, the house sits at the end of a long axis with four projecting wings arranged around a central great room, giving rise to the building's name. Today, Wingspread operates as a conference center run by the Johnson Foundation, and the building is regarded as an important example of Wright's late residential architecture.