propeller

American  

[pruh-pel-er] / prəˈpɛl ər /

noun

propellers plural

1. a device having a revolving hub with radiating blades, for propelling an airplane, ship, etc.

2. a person or thing that propels.

3. the bladed rotor of a pump that drives the fluid axially.

4. a wind-driven, usually three-bladed, device that provides mechanical energy, as for driving an electric alternator in wind plants.

---

propeller British  

/ prəˈpɛlə /

noun

1. a device having blades radiating from a central hub that is rotated to produce thrust to propel a ship, aircraft, etc

2. a person or thing that propels

---

propeller Scientific  

/ prə-pĕl′ər /

1. A device consisting of a set of two or more twisted, airfoil-shaped blades mounted around a shaft and spun to provide propulsion of a vehicle through water or air, or to cause fluid flow, as in a pump. The lift generated by the spinning blades provides the force that propels the vehicle or the fluid—the lift does not have to result in an actual upward force; its direction is simply parallel to the rotating shaft.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• propellers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of propeller

First recorded in 1770–80; propel + -er ¹

Explanation

A propeller is a rounded blade that rotates in a circle, helping to move a vehicle by pushing against water or air. A speed boat's propeller moves it forward by spinning against the water. Propellers use the laws of physics to propel, or drive forward, an aircraft or a boat. The basic structure of a propeller is a spinning or rotating shaft with wide, curved blades attached to it. The very simplest propellers were first used in ancient Greece, where the inventor Archimedes invented a "screw propeller" that moved water for irrigating crops.

Example Sentences

The rights to "Propeller One-Way Night Coach" have been bought by Apple, Travolta said.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Propeller One-Way Night Coach, will premiere on Apple TV's streaming service later this month.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

With the Propeller Group, he clung to the idea of a collective even after it became apparent that the other two members, Phunam Thuc Ha and Matt Lucero, wanted to move on.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2023

Last week, Brian Halligan, who made a fortune in software, announced the launch of Propeller, a $100 million investment fund that is one of the first of its kind.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 26, 2022

Propeller research, for example, had been one of Langley’s most important lines of inquiry from its inception through the lead-up to the war.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• screw