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

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

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

The Mexico City-founded churrería recently opened its first L.A. location and is making its debut festival appearance near the iconic Ferris wheel where guests can watch their churros being prepared fresh.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026

“What do you want to do first? Ferris wheel? Tilt-A-Whirl? Jack Rabbit? Tractor pull? Petting zoo? Or we could get funnel cakes,” she said in a breathless whoosh.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman