paddle wheel

noun

: a wheel with paddles around its circumference used to propel a boat

Examples of paddle wheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The paddle wheel has been updated over the years, but in the darkest hours of the night, workers still hear unexplained footsteps and whispers that often get attributed to Floyd. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 21 Oct. 2024 Their paddle wheels turned quietly in the dark as the vessels advanced toward St. Helena Sound. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 The Catawba Queen is a replica Mississippi River paddle wheel boat that seats 149 passengers. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024 The rear of the boat, where the Dixie II has its paddle wheel, is the stern, and that’s why she may be called a stern-wheeler. Reed Parsell, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paddle wheel 

Word History

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paddle wheel was in 1685

Dictionary Entries Near paddle wheel

Cite this Entry

“Paddle wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paddle%20wheel. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

paddle wheel

noun
: a wheel with boards around its outer edge used to move a vessel

More from Merriam-Webster on paddle wheel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!