waterwheel

noun

wa·​ter·​wheel ˈwȯ-tər-ˌ(h)wēl 

ˈwä-

1

: a wheel made to rotate by direct action of water

2

: a wheel for raising water

Illustration of waterwheel

• waterwheel 1

Examples of waterwheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the case of carnivorous plants, Natural History Museum, Berlin, botanist Eva-Maria Sadowski says, prehistoric relatives of today’s waterwheel plant are known from prehistoric pollen in rocks about as old as the carnivorous leaves in amber. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025

The elements in general are definitely reminiscent of the traps on a Venus flytrap, although they were actually inspired by the prey-catching appendages of another carnivorous plant, the aquatic waterwheel (Aldrovanda vesiculosa). —Ben Coxworth may 23, New Atlas, 23 May 2025

The river once powered its looms via wood waterwheels, and the pure, soft water is still used today to wash cashmere. —Shane C Kurup, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Dec. 2024

An anti-government fighter poses for a picture in front of one of the waterwheels, or norias, of Hama. —Ammar Cheikh Omar, NBC News, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for waterwheel

• afebrile
• bookmobile
• cochineal
• nonideal
• peroneal
• philomel
• popliteal
• snowmobile
• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal

Kids Definition

waterwheel

noun

wa·​ter·​wheel -ˌhwēl 

-ˌwēl

: a wheel made to turn by a flow of water against it