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

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.

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

There’s a moving roller coaster and Ferris wheel and tiny pedestrians.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

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

Next day, as the Ferris wheel was being taken apart and the race horses were being loaded into vans and the entertainers were packing up their belongings and driving away in their trailers, Charlotte died.

From "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White

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