Standard Lemma guide

hydrofoil

noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australian: /ˈhɑe.dɹəˌfoɪl/
  • US: /ˈhaɪ.dɹoʊˌfɔɪl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AY1 D R AH0 F OY2 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A wing attached to the hull of a ship that raises it out of the water when travelling at speed and thus reduces drag.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A vessel equipped with such a device.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To operate or use or ride atop a hydrofoil wing on a hull so equipped.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foil

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a speedboat that is equipped with winglike structures that lift it so that it skims the water at high speeds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the museum houses a replica of the jet hydroplane that broke the record

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hydroplane

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: speedboat

5

noun

Meaning 5

a device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the fins of a fish act as hydrofoils

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foil

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: device

History

Etymology

From hydro- + foil.

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: хидрофо́йл (hidrofójl) — wing
  • Dutch: draagvleugel — wing
  • Finnish: kantosiipi — wing
  • French: plan porteur — wing
  • German: Tragflügel — wing
  • Italian: ala portante — wing
  • Polish: hydropłat — wing
  • Portuguese: hidrofólio — wing
  • Russian: подво́дное крыло́ (podvódnoje kryló) — wing
  • Russian: гидрофо́йл (gidrofójl) — wing
  • Russian: гидрокрыло́ (gidrokryló) — wing
  • Spanish: hidroala — wing
  • Spanish: hidroaleta — wing
  • Bulgarian: хидрофо́йл (hidrofójl) — vessel
  • Catalan: hidròpter — vessel
  • Chinese Mandarin: 水翼船 (shuǐyìchuán) — vessel
  • Dutch: draagvleugelboot — vessel
  • Finnish: kantosiipialus — vessel
  • French: hydroptère — vessel
  • German: Tragflügelboot — vessel
  • Greek: υδρολισθητήρας (ydrolisthitíras) — vessel
  • Greek: υδροπτέρυγο (ydroptérygo) — vessel
  • Icelandic: spaðabátur — vessel
  • Italian: aliscafo — vessel
  • Japanese: 水中翼船 (suichūyokusen) — vessel
  • Norman: hydrodrisseux — vessel
  • Norman: hydroglisseux — vessel
  • Polish: wodolot — vessel
  • Polish: hydroplan — vessel
  • Portuguese: hidrofólio — vessel
  • Russian: су́дно на подво́дных кры́льях (súdno na podvódnyx krýlʹjax) — vessel
  • Russian: СПК (SPK) — vessel
  • Russian: гидрофо́йл (gidrofójl) — vessel
  • Serbo-Croatian: gliser — vessel
  • Spanish: alíscafo — vessel
  • Spanish: aliscafo — vessel
  • Spanish: hidroplano — vessel
  • Swedish: bärplansbåt — vessel
  • Turkish: deniz otobüsü — vessel
  • Vietnamese: tàu cánh ngầm — vessel
  • Finnish: ajaa kantosiipialusta — to operate a hydrofoil
  • Finnish: liikennöidä kantosiipialuksella — to operate a hydrofoil
  • Finnish: foilata — to operate a hydrofoil
  • Polish: pływać wodolotem — to operate a hydrofoil