The empennage (/ˌɑːmpᵻˈnɑːʒ/ or /ˈɛmpᵻnɪdʒ/), also known as the tail or tail assembly, provides stability for aircraft, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow. The term derives from the French language word empenner which means "to feather an arrow". Most aircraft feature an empennage incorporating vertical and horizontal stabilising surfaces which stabilise the flight dynamics of yaw and pitch, as well as housing control surfaces.