Standard Lemma guide

driveshaft

noun · 2 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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A shaft used to transmit rotary motion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The driveshaft of an automobile transfers power from the engine to the wheels.
  • A windmill transmits motion to the ground level via a vertical driveshaft, which operates a water pump.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a rotating shaft that transmits power from the engine to the point of application

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rotating shaft, shaft

History

Etymology

From drive + shaft.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: عَمُود الدَّوَرَان (ʕamūd ad-dawarān) — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Danish: drivaksel — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Finnish: vetoakseli — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • French: arbre — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • German: Antriebswelle — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • German: Kardanwelle — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Macedonian: вратило (vratilo) — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: drivaksel — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: drivaksel — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: drivaksling — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Plautdietsch: Dreiwscheft — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Polish: wał napędowy — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Portuguese: eixo acionador — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Portuguese: eixo motor — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Serbo-Croatian: вра̀тило — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Serbo-Croatian: vràtilo — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Spanish: árbol motor — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Spanish: eje transmisor — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Spanish: eje accionante — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion
  • Swedish: drivaxel — a shaft used to transmit rotary motion