propeller

noun

pro·​pel·​ler prə-ˈpe-lər How to pronounce propeller (audio)
variants or less commonly propellor
: one that propels
especially : a device that consists of a central hub with radiating blades placed and twisted so that each forms part of a helical surface and that is used to propel a vehicle (such as a ship or airplane)

Examples of propeller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One weekend that summer, on a trip to one of his teammate’s river homes, Byrd was pulled under a friend’s boat and got caught in the propeller. Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 One of those, Sweet Gums, an animal featured in the manatee club's adopt-a-manatee program, suffered five deep gashes from a propeller, her spine severed in two places. USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2024 The beluga also knew how to closely follow boats and had a habit of wrapping rope around propellers, which could suggest specialized training. Ferris Jabr, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2024 From the fairway of the fourth hole, a shallow-water patrol boat could occasionally be heard passing, its propeller sounding like a helicopter. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 With more than 71,000 people on hand to watch the Kansas City Chiefs face the Baltimore Ravens in a conference championship game, the drone — a DJI Mini 2, small enough for an adult to hold in the palm of a hand — appeared above the stadium, powered by its four little propellers. Paul Duggan, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024 Some carry their propellers overhead, others have props that spin just off the ground. Marc Wortman, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2023 The company it is designed to have no single point of failure, with the ability to hover on two of its four propellers. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2023 Because the orcas are particularly fond of tearing the propellers off of yachts, the temptation to characterize these six-ton, pack-hunting, demonstrably intelligent mammals as class warriors fighting back against the 1 percent is strong, and the memes have been fun. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'propeller.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

propel + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of propeller was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near propeller

Cite this Entry

“Propeller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propeller. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

propeller

noun
pro·​pel·​ler prə-ˈpel-ər How to pronounce propeller (audio)
: a device consisting of a hub fitted with blades that is made to turn rapidly by an engine and is used especially for propelling airplanes and ships

More from Merriam-Webster on propeller

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