The main body of an aircraft; distinct from wings, undercarriage, empennage, etc. Usually roughly cylindrical, especially on larger airliners. The word is derived from the French for streamlined, which in turn is from the French fuselé, which means spindle (something long and streamlined, natch). Note that not all aircraft have fuselages. The B-2 Spirit, for example, being a flying wing, does not.

Fu"se*lage (?), n. (Aëronautics)

An elongated body or frame of an aëroplane or flying machine; sometimes, erroneously, any kind of frame or body. Many aëroplanes have no fuselage, properly so called.

© Webster 1913