Ferris wheel

[ fer-is ]

/ ˈfɛr ɪs /

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noun

an amusement ride consisting of a large upright wheel rotating on a fixed stand and having seats around its rim suspended freely so that they remain right side up as they revolve.

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Origin of Ferris wheel

1890–95; named after G. W. G. Ferris (died 1896), American engineer

Words nearby Ferris wheel

Ferrier, ferriferous, ferrihemoglobin, ferrimagnetic, ferrimagnetism, Ferris wheel, ferrite, ferrite core, ferrite-rod aerial, ferritin, ferro-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Ferris wheel in a sentence

They were racing toward the corner of Tompkins and Myrtle avenues with Johnson at the wheel when another call came over the radio.
'Please Don't Die!': The Frantic Battle to Save Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They think Putin is the only evil in Russia and dream about getting rid of him,” he said, tightening his grip on the wheel.
Think Putin’s Bad? Wait for the Next Guy|Anna Nemtsova|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“The jailer had a high-school-age daughter and was uncertain how to help her get in college,” writes Ferris.
The Tragic History of Southern Food|Jason Berry|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maybe the wheel will turn again, and heterosexuality will come to seem edgy.
How Straight World Stole ‘Gay’: The Last Gasp of the ‘Lumbersexual’|Tim Teeman|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It was only a matter of time that the wheel turned its full revolution.
How Straight World Stole ‘Gay’: The Last Gasp of the ‘Lumbersexual’|Tim Teeman|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Never again would he sit behind that wheel rejoicing in the insolence of speed.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He deposited it on the vacant seat, clambered up behind the wheel, and started.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
The non-elastic character of water made it unsuitable for a machine requiring a fly-wheel.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
To quote Mrs. Kaye, 'A Liberal peer is as useful as a fifth wheel to a coach, and as ornamental as whitewash.'
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
I think 6½ feet diameter for the fly, and 9½ inches diameter for the small wheel, will give speed enough to the drum.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick

British Dictionary definitions for Ferris wheel

Ferris wheel

/ (ˈfɛrɪs) /

noun

a fairground wheel having seats freely suspended from its rim; the seats remain horizontal throughout its rotation

Word Origin for Ferris wheel

C19: named after G.W.G. Ferris (1859–96), American engineer

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