crankshaft

American

[krangk-shaft, -shahft] / ˈkræŋkˌʃæft, -ˌʃɑft /

noun

Machinery.

a shaft having one or more cranks, usually formed as integral parts.

crankshaft British

/ ˈkræŋkˌʃɑːft /

noun

a shaft having one or more cranks, esp the main shaft of an internal-combustion engine to which the connecting rods are attached

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

crankshafts

plural

Etymology

Origin of crankshaft

First recorded in 1850–55; crank ¹ + shaft

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A flaming ear of corn transforms into a crankshaft.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

This reduced the oil's lubrication, leading to wear on the engine's crankshaft bearings.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2023

Starting any big engine generates a lot of shaking forces as the crankshaft spools up to speed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 3, 2018

That sensor helps the computer compare the positions of the cam shafts and the crankshaft.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2017

True, I am pretty good at fixing things that break, but I cannot repair a shattered crankshaft.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023