turbine

American  

[tur-bin, -bahyn] / ˈtɜr bɪn, -baɪn /

noun

• turbines
  plural

1. any of various machines having a rotor, usually with vanes or blades, driven by the pressure, momentum, or reactive thrust of a moving fluid, as steam, water, hot gases, or air, either occurring in the form of free jets or as a fluid passing through and entirely filling a housing around the rotor.

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turbine British  

/ ˈtɜːbɪn, -baɪn /

noun

1. any of various types of machine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate. The moving fluid may be water, steam, air, or combustion products of a fuel See also reaction turbine impulse turbine gas turbine

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turbine Scientific  

/ tûr′bĭn,-bīn′ /

1. Any of various machines in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid, such as water, steam, or gas, is converted to rotary motion. Turbines are used in boat propulsion systems, hydroelectric power generators, and jet aircraft engines.

2. See also gas turbine

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• turbines
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of turbine

1815–25; < French < Latin turbin-, stem of turbō something that spins, e.g., top, spindle, whirlwind; akin to turbid

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Explanation

A turbine is a device used to generate energy as a flowing liquid causes a bladed rotor to move around. A water wheel is a turbine. There are many ways we get energy, such as fossil fuels and solar power. Another is a gadget called a turbine. A turbine uses the power of water (or another liquid) to move a wheel, generating energy. A windmill is also an example of a turbine, though it uses wind instead of liquid. Other turbines use gas or steam to generate energy. Ever since the 1800s, engineers have used many sorts of turbines to help satisfy our ever-increasing energy needs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turbine turbines

“There are only a few companies globally capable of producing engine parts for the ‘hot section’ of a gas turbine used to create electricity.”

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

An offshore wind turbine facility is to be created at the Port of Montrose, supporting about 80 jobs.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

This is a secondary combustion system that injects raw fuel directly into a jet engine's exhaust stream behind the turbine, which gives the jet a big short-term boost in thrust.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

They expect Doosan to secure additional gas turbine orders as the multi-phase energy project advances.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Even at this age, Eden is the most intelligent of us, and instead of joining in, he chooses to sit there tinkering with parts of an old turbine engine.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

"Gas turbines appear in the planning documents because they represent the worst case for emissions and noise, so assessing them tests the upper limit of any impact."

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

“By modernizing and upgrading turbines, steam generators, and digital control systems at operating plants, uprates deliver substantial capacity gains without the multi-year timelines or interconnection bottlenecks associated with greenfield construction,” the blog post noted.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

The factory, which will make components for off-shore wind turbines, is to be run by engineering firm Subsea Micropiles following a £5m investment.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Plus, a California startup uses 3-D printing to help make gas turbines and Amazon is boosting robotics output with an Indiana factory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

That’s about enough to make a single particle of dust jump—far from what’s needed to turn the turbines of a power plant.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

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