Phrase guide

Archimedes' screw

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A screwlike device invented by Greek mathematician Archimedes, ca. 200 B.C.E., which when twisted inside a cylinder, raises water from a lower level to a higher level, allowing irrigation of fields.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: طُنْبُور (ṭunbūr) — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Dutch: vijzel — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Finnish: Arkhimedeen ruuvi — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Galician: parafuso de Arquímedes — A screwlike device that raises water
  • German: archimedische Schraube — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Hungarian: arkhimédészi csavar — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Korean: 나선 양수기 (naseon yangsugi) — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Norwegian: Archimedes' skrue — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Polish: śruba Archimedesa — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Portuguese: parafuso de Arquimedes — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Romanian: șurubul lui Arhimede — A screwlike device that raises water
  • Turkish: Arşimet'in vidası — A screwlike device that raises water