ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chord (aircraft)

A chord is a special measurement in an aircraft. It is a line that is drawn from the leading edge (front) of a wing to the trailing edge (back) of the wing. The chord tells us how wide the wing is, in other words, how wide the airplane's wings are from front to back. A longer chord typically means a thicker, more efficient, and more powerful wing.