eolipile

[ee-ol-uh-pahyl]

noun

aeolipile.

aeolipile

or ae·ol·i·pyle, e·ol·i·pile

[ee-ol-uh-pahyl]

noun

a round vessel caused to rotate by the force of tangentially escaping steam: an early example of jet propulsion.
a device for injecting the vapors of heated alcohol into a laboratory furnace.

Origin of aeolipile

1650–60; < Latin aeolīpilae balls of Aeolus, alteration of aeolīpylae gates of Aeolus, equivalent to Aeolī (genitive singular of Aeolus) + pylae, plural of pyla < Greek pýlē gate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for eolipile

Historical Examples of eolipile

This also was the invention of Hero, and was a reaction engine, on the principle of the eolipile.
History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science
John William Draper

British Dictionary definitions for eolipile

eolipile

noun

a variant spelling of aeolipile

aeolipile

noun

a device illustrating the reactive forces of a gas jet: usually a spherical vessel mounted so as to rotate and equipped with angled exit pipes from which steam within it escapes

Word Origin for aeolipile

C17: from Latin aeolīpilae balls of Aeolus or aeolīpylae gates of Aeolus

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