The word "vane" primarily means a flat blade or surface that moves or is pushed by air or water. Commonly, it refers to a weather vane, which is a device mounted on a structure (like a rooftop) to show the direction of the wind. It can also mean any thin, flat, or curved object attached to something like a wheel, used in devices like windmills or turbines, which moves when air or water pushes it.
More specifically, a vane is often a flat blade in machines such as windmills, where it can be adjusted to catch the wind efficiently. The term can also apply to parts of arrows (feathers near the shaft) and devices that redirect fluid flow in various machinery.
In short, a vane is a physical object related to air or fluid movement, usually serving as an indicator or part of a mechanical system influenced by the wind or fluid flow.
