Ferris wheel

American

[fer-is] / ˈfɛr ɪs /

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.

Ferris wheel British

/ ˈfɛrɪs /

noun

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

"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

Ferris wheels

plural

Etymology

Origin of Ferris wheel

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

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.

See Examples For:

Ferris wheel

And theoretically fairgoers could have had fun on the Ferris wheel, though I didn’t see anyone lining up for that.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026

The only ride was a massive Ferris wheel that didn’t work half the time.

From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026

Organizers have promised attractions ranging from regional food and cultural displays to a 110-foot Ferris wheel, a restored Smithsonian carousel, military bands and a red-white-and-blue "250" projected onto the Washington Monument.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

Outside at Neverland were the zoo and Ferris wheel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

I’m pointing to a drawing of a Ferris wheel in Vegas.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

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