Catherine wheel

American  

noun

1. a firework that revolves on a pin, making a wheel of fire or sparks; pinwheel.

2. wheel window.

---

Catherine wheel British  

noun

1. Also called: pinwheel.  a type of firework consisting of a powder-filled spiral tube, mounted with a pin through its centre. When lit it rotates quickly, producing a display of sparks and coloured flame

2. a circular window having ribs radiating from the centre

---

Etymology

Origin of Catherine wheel

1175–1225; Middle English; named after St. Catherine of Alexandria, from wheel used to torture her

Example Sentences

Set to Carl Orff’s dramatic score, the production includes a giant moving Catherine wheel and a live chorus seated on a floating platform above the stage.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2022

Like Frances, she sizzles and sparkles like a human Catherine wheel, but beneath the delirium is a whiff of despair.

From The Guardian • Aug. 16, 2015

We think: is this going to be another misfire; an exploding Catherine wheel scorching the bark off a tree; a toppled rocket screaming horizontally into the laburnums followed by the awful yelping of a dog?

From The Guardian • Aug. 15, 2014

LiVolsi pointed to what looked like a whipping Catherine wheel, with spikes that spurted powder into paper packets, 50 blurring past in every second.

From New York Times • Jan. 1, 2014

George retired to prepare for dinner, and Marna to settle the baby for the night, and Kate went on with the preparations for the meal, while her thoughts revolved like a Catherine wheel.

From The Precipice by Peattie, Elia Wilkinson