Ferris wheel

American  

[fer-is] / ˈfɛr ɪs /

noun

Ferris wheels plural

1. 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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Ferris wheel British  

/ ˈfɛrɪs /

noun

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

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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

The fair’s most famous structure was the Ferris wheel, engineered as a response to the Eiffel Tower, which made its debut at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Across the water, Ain Dubai -- the world's tallest Ferris wheel -- has stopped turning, and the Madame Tussauds wax museum below is drawing few visitors despite hefty discounts.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

This new exoplanet is special — its orbit looks more like a Ferris wheel!

From Space Scoop • May 6, 2025

The first contractor insisted on cost-cutting changes to the capsules that did not fit with the architects' vision, reducing their design to a pastiche Ferris wheel.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2025

“You could have told me that the Ferris wheel still worked,” I say.

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth