autorotation

[ aw-toh-roh-tey-shuh n ]
/ ˌɔ toʊ roʊˈteɪ ʃən /

noun Aeronautics.

the condition of flight occurring when lift is derived solely from the action of air upon the unpowered rotor of a moving helicopter or autogiro.

Origin of autorotation

First recorded in 1915–20; auto-1 + rotation

OTHER WORDS FROM autorotation

au·to·ro·ta·tion·al, adjective

Words nearby autorotation

autoradiography, autoregulation, autoreinfection, autoreproduction, autorickshaw, autorotation, autoroute, autosave, autoschediasm, autosensitization, autosepticemia

British Dictionary definitions for autorotation

autorotation
/ (ˌɔːtəʊrəʊˈteɪʃən) /

noun

the continuous rotation of a body in an airflow, such as that of the rotor blades of a helicopter in an unpowered descent