rotor

noun

ro·​tor ˈrō-tər 

1

a

: a part that revolves in a stationary part

a brake rotor

b

: the rotating member of an electrical machine

2

: an assembly of rotating blades that supplies lift or stability for a rotorcraft

Examples of rotor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Titan’s nitrogen-rich atmosphere is four times denser than Earth’s, allowing the car-sized Dragonfly drone’s eight rotors to easily fly between promising landing sites every Titan day (16 Earth days) to collect and study samples. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Flores had captained one of two Ecuadorian fishing crews who say their boats were sunk in an unexplained attack involving small, explosive-laden rotor drones launched by armed foreigners in March. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

There’s a drain plug at the bottom to bleed out hydraulic fluid, the pads slot in at the top, and the rotors tilt outward from the sides. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026

Their tri-rotor drone takes off and lands vertically like a multi-rotor aircraft, but once airborne transitions to forward flight via smaller propellers mounted horizontally on each of its rotor blades. — New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

contraction of rotator

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing rotor

• tilt-rotor

Rhymes for rotor

• boater
• coater
• floater
• motor
• voter
• locomotor
• psychomotor
• servomotor
• vasomotor
• oculomotor
• sensorimotor
• premotor

Kids Definition

rotor

noun

ro·​tor ˈrōt-ər 

1

: a part that rotates in a stationary part (as in an electrical machine)

2

: a complete system of rotating blades that support a helicopter in flight