alula

Definitions

1. A small projection of three or four feathers on the first digit of the wing on some birds.
2. A flower, a species of Hawaiian lobelioid

Equivalents

Examples

“More recently, the upturned wing tips of jet aircraft mimic the "fingers" of birds' terminal primary feathers, and the slotted leading edges of aircraft wings are directly copied from the alula ("thumb" wings) in birds.”

“On the wing, even the tiny “thumb feather” or alula can be seen.”

CEFR level