What does yaw mean?
Yaw describes a turn or rotation about a vertical axis, with the term used especially for ships, aircraft, and vehicles. A ship yaws when its bow swings to one side or the other, while an aircraft yaws when it rotates around its vertical axis, often because of wind, control input, or mechanical adjustment. As a noun, a yaw is the movement itself or a deviation from the intended heading. The word is most common in aviation, nautical, and engineering contexts, including the established terms yaw angle and yaw rate. In broader writing, yaw can suggest an abrupt, sometimes uncontrolled, change in direction. It is easily confused with yawn because of its similar spelling and sound, but yawn concerns opening the mouth, whereas yaw concerns turning. Knowing the distinction is useful when reading descriptions of aircraft, vessels, robotics, or vehicle handling.
To turn or rotate about a vertical axis, especially as the result of wind, steering, or control input.
"The helicopter yawed left to avoid the other aircraft."
Common in aviation, nautical, and technical descriptions; it can also be used figuratively for an abrupt change of course.
A rotation or deviation about a vertical axis, especially that of a ship or aircraft.
"The pilots corrected a brief yaw during the approach."
Usually technical, with the related expressions yaw angle and yaw rate.
The plural refers to separate yawing movements or deviations, especially in technical or descriptive writing.
"The recordings showed repeated yaws as the vessel crossed the rough water."
A vessel can continue moving forward while yawing, so a yaw changes its heading without necessarily stopping its progress.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yaw
The word appears in Middle English in senses connected with turning or twisting. Its specialized nautical and aviation meanings developed from this older vocabulary and refer to rotation around a vertical axis. The precise origin of the Middle English form is not sufficiently secure to identify confident cognates, so none are listed here.
Related word forms
How yaw is actually used
Yaw is standard technical terminology in aviation, nautical practice, engineering, and vehicle dynamics. Outside these fields, it is less common than general words such as turn or veer, though it can be used figuratively for an abrupt change in direction or course.
Easily confused with yaw
Yaw means to turn about a vertical axis, while a yawn is the involuntary opening of the mouth associated with drowsiness or boredom.