1. Mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
   "The church steeple was topped with an ornate rooster weather vane";
   - weathervane, weather vane, wind vane
    
2. Flat surface that rotates and pushes against air or water
   "The boat's propeller vanes cut through the water";
   - blade
    
3. A fin attached to the tail of an arrow, bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it
   "The archer carefully aligned the vanes on his arrow before taking aim"
    
4. The flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft
   "The bird's wing vanes were perfectly aligned";
   - web

Sounds like: vails, valesn, van

Derived forms: vanes

Type of: blade, fin, mechanical device, rotating mechanism

Part of: aerogenerator, arrow, chopper [informal], copter [informal], eggbeater [N. Amer, informal], helicopter, missile, oar, plume, propeller, propellor, turbine, whirlybird [N. Amer, informal], wind generator, windmill

Encyclopedia: Vane, John