Meaning & use
waterwheel
Last updated
UK/ˈwɔːtəwiːl/
US/ˈwɔːtərwiːl/
Meaning
nouncountable
A large wheel fitted with paddles or buckets that turns when water flows against or into it, producing power for machinery such as a mill.
Grammar: Written as one word, or sometimes as water wheel.
Patterns
- turn a waterwheel
- power something with a waterwheel
The old mill still has its original waterwheel.
A stream turned the waterwheel slowly all day.
Farmers used a waterwheel to lift water into the irrigation channel.
Word forms
| plural | waterwheels |
|---|
Common combinations
- turn the waterwheel
- The fast current turned the waterwheel with ease.
- overshot waterwheel
- An overshot waterwheel takes water from the top.
- undershot waterwheel
- An undershot waterwheel sits low in the stream.
- wooden waterwheel
- A wooden waterwheel creaked beside the mill.
- waterwheel powered
- The waterwheel powered sawmill cut planks for the village.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mill wheel
- Mill wheel stresses the wheel's job of driving a mill, while waterwheel describes any wheel moved by water.
- turbine
- A turbine is a modern, enclosed machine that spins in a fast water or steam flow, much more efficient than an open waterwheel.
- noria
- A noria is a specific kind of waterwheel with pots that lifts water, found mainly in the Middle East and Spain.
Word family
- water noun
- the liquid that moves the wheel
- wheel noun
- the rotating part
- watermill noun
- a mill driven by a waterwheel
- hydropower noun
- electricity or power from moving water
Commonly confused: waterwheel or windmill?
waterwheel vs windmill
A windmill is turned by wind, not water, although both were used to grind grain.
Practice
What makes a waterwheel turn?
Choose one answer.
A waterwheel is driven by flowing or falling water. Wind belongs to a windmill.
Make it your own
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