propeller

B2 Topic:Transportation
US /prəˈpel.ɚ/ UK /prəˈpel.ə/
noun Freq #18363

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a device with blades that rotates to drive an aircraft or vessel through air or water

    The boat's propeller became tangled in a length of rope.

  2. 2
    noun

    a person or thing that causes something to move forward

    The rear wheel acts as the vehicle's main propeller.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a device with blades that... screwairscrew
2 noun · a person or thing that... driverpropelling device
Word family
Forms propellers
Derived forms propeller-drivenpropellerless
Related forms propelpropulsionrotor

Etymology

Formed from propel + the agent suffix -er. Propel comes from Latin propellere, meaning to drive forward, from pro- (forward) + pellere (to drive or push).

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.