Phrase guide

water wheel

noun · 4 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 wheel, propelled by running or falling water, used to power machinery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A wheel with buckets used to raise water.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a wheel that rotates by direct action of water; a simple turbine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: waterwheel

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wheel

Narrower terms: millwheel, mill wheel, noria

4

noun

Meaning 4

a wheel with buckets attached to its rim; raises water from a stream or pond

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: waterwheel

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wheel

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: waterwiel — wheel propelled by water
  • Sudanese Arabic: ساقية (sāgiya) — wheel propelled by water
  • Belarusian: вадзяное кола (vadzjanóje kóla) — wheel propelled by water
  • Bulgarian: водно колело (vodno kolelo) — wheel propelled by water
  • Catalan: roda hidràulica — wheel propelled by water
  • Chinese Mandarin: 水車 /水车 (shuǐchē) — wheel propelled by water
  • Chinese Mandarin: 水輪 /水轮 (shuǐlún) — wheel propelled by water
  • Czech: vodní kolo — wheel propelled by water
  • Danish: møllehjul — wheel propelled by water
  • Dutch: waterrad — wheel propelled by water
  • Esperanto: akvorado — wheel propelled by water
  • Finnish: vesipyörä — wheel propelled by water
  • French: roue à aubes — wheel propelled by water
  • Galician: rodicio — wheel propelled by water
  • Georgian: წყლის ბორბალი (c̣q̇lis borbali) — wheel propelled by water
  • German: Wasserrad — wheel propelled by water
  • Hebrew: גלגל מים — wheel propelled by water
  • Hindi: पनचक्की (pancakkī) — wheel propelled by water
  • Hunsrik: Wasserraat — wheel propelled by water
  • Icelandic: vatnshjól — wheel propelled by water
  • Indonesian: kincir air — wheel propelled by water
  • Italian: bindolo — wheel propelled by water
  • Italian: ruota idraulica — wheel propelled by water
  • Japanese: 水車 (suisha) — wheel propelled by water
  • Korean: 수차 (sucha) — wheel propelled by water
  • Latvian: ūdensrats — wheel propelled by water
  • Lithuanian: vandens ratas — wheel propelled by water
  • Marathi: पाणचक्की (pāṇcakkī) — wheel propelled by water
  • Norwegian: vannhjul — wheel propelled by water
  • Old English: hlædhwēol — wheel propelled by water
  • Old English: hlædtrendel — wheel propelled by water
  • Persian: چرخ آبی — wheel propelled by water
  • Polish: koło wodne — wheel propelled by water
  • Portuguese: roda de água — wheel propelled by water
  • Russian: водяно́е колесо́ (vodjanóje kolesó) — wheel propelled by water
  • Serbo-Croatian: vodeničko kolo — wheel propelled by water
  • Slovak: vodné koleso — wheel propelled by water
  • Spanish: rueda hidráulica — wheel propelled by water
  • Swedish: vattenhjul — wheel propelled by water
  • Tagalog: lagumba — wheel propelled by water
  • Turkish: su çarkı — wheel propelled by water
  • Ottoman Turkish: طولاب (dolab) — wheel propelled by water
  • Ukrainian: водяне колесо (vodjane koleso) — wheel propelled by water
  • Vietnamese: bánh xe nước — wheel propelled by water
  • Azerbaijani: dolab — wheel to raise water
  • Chinese Mandarin: 水輪 /水轮 (shuǐlún) — wheel to raise water
  • Finnish: vesipyörä — wheel to raise water
  • Indonesian: kincir air — wheel to raise water
  • Persian: دولابه — wheel to raise water
  • Polish: koło wodne — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: azud — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: azuda — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: aceña — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: noria — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: aguaducho — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: ceña — wheel to raise water
  • Spanish: cenia — wheel to raise water
  • Ottoman Turkish: صو طولابی (su dolabı) — wheel to raise water