1. A streamlined housing or tank that holds an engine, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft.
Usage: commonly used in aviation and aerospace engineering
2. The basket or car suspended beneath a hot-air balloon or airship.
Usage: historical or specialized aeronautical term

Examples

• The jet engine is housed in a streamlined nacelle beneath the wing.
• Modern aircraft nacelles are designed to reduce aerodynamic drag.
• The nacelle of the hot-air balloon carried the pilot and passengers safely.
• Engineers inspected the engine nacelle for cracks and wear.
• The twin-engine plane had a nacelle mounted on each wing.
• Early airships featured a large nacelle suspended below the gas envelope.