Forbody

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The forward section of a ship's hull or an aircraft's fuselage, lying ahead of the midsection
2. The front portion of a vessel or airframe, located toward the bow or nose of the craft
3. Referring to the leading part of a hull or structure, positioned toward the prow or nose end

Etymology: Nothing mysterious went into this one: it is a plain nautical compound of "fore" and "body." "Fore" comes from Old English "fore," meaning "before" or "in front," and it is related to "for" and to Greek and Latin words for "before." On a ship, "body" refers to the main hull, the hollow shell that carries the vessel through the water, so the forebody is the part of that hull toward the bow. Sailors and naval architects use the term to describe the shape of the hull's front section, which matters for how a ship cuts through waves. The word is a transparent combination of two old English elements rather than a borrowing, and it has stayed close to its literal sense.