Illustration of waterwheel
- waterwheel 1
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
Examples of waterwheel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By day, visitors wander past mirror-like rice paddies and mossy waterwheels—pausing at Wada House to glimpse Edo-era life with silkworm trays, saltpeter trade ledgers, and a grand Buddhist altar glowing in the hearthlight.
—
Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for waterwheel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for waterwheel
Cite this Entry
“Waterwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waterwheel. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
waterwheel
noun
wa·ter·wheel
-ˌhwēl
-ˌwēl
: a wheel made to turn by a flow of water against it
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share