turbine

American  

[tur-bin, -bahyn] / ˈtɜr bɪn, -baɪn /

noun

• turbines
  plural

1. any of various machines having a rotor, usually with vanes or blades, driven by the pressure, momentum, or reactive thrust of a moving fluid, as steam, water, hot gases, or air, either occurring in the form of free jets or as a fluid passing through and entirely filling a housing around the rotor.

---

turbine British  

/ ˈtɜːbɪn, -baɪn /

noun

1. any of various types of machine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate. The moving fluid may be water, steam, air, or combustion products of a fuel See also reaction turbine impulse turbine gas turbine

---

turbine Scientific  

/ tûr′bĭn,-bīn′ /

1. Any of various machines in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid, such as water, steam, or gas, is converted to rotary motion. Turbines are used in boat propulsion systems, hydroelectric power generators, and jet aircraft engines.

2. See also gas turbine

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• turbines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of turbine

1815–25; < French < Latin turbin-, stem of turbō something that spins, e.g., top, spindle, whirlwind; akin to turbid

Explanation

A turbine is a device used to generate energy as a flowing liquid causes a bladed rotor to move around. A water wheel is a turbine. There are many ways we get energy, such as fossil fuels and solar power. Another is a gadget called a turbine. A turbine uses the power of water (or another liquid) to move a wheel, generating energy. A windmill is also an example of a turbine, though it uses wind instead of liquid. Other turbines use gas or steam to generate energy. Ever since the 1800s, engineers have used many sorts of turbines to help satisfy our ever-increasing energy needs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turbine turbines

Earlier this year Musk acquired a Florida-based gas and diesel turbine manufacturer, according to a Federal Trade Commission filing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Ming Yang has described the UK government's decision - on what would have been the UK's largest wind turbine factory - as a "significant missed opportunity", saying it could have supported up to 1,500 jobs.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

The rapid and powerful reactions inside the chamber make it difficult to transfer energy to the turbine in a stable way.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026

Shares in the gas turbine manufacturer fell by as much as 9% as investors worry about whether the orders its U.S. peer announced are binding, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Amelia Earhart nearly lost her raccoon coat to a wind tunnel’s giant turbine while touring the lab.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

The original Colossus campus now receives grid power, estimated around 300 megawatts, and has almost 200 megawatts of turbines on site, according to satellite photos from May analyzed by Cleanview.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

As of July 30, xAI, now a part of SpaceX, had 69 temporary turbines at the site, according to an agreement with local regulators obtained through a public records request.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Teenager Jasmine Bernard, who lives in a neighborhood bordering Boxtown, has been fighting for two years against the gas turbines that power the data center and spew emissions into the air.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

RWE said it will instead invest $900 million to acquire an indirect 16% stake in a liquefied natural gas terminal in Louisiana and $300 million to support the development of natural gas turbines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Giant waterwheels and turbines churn along the water's edge behind veils of smoke.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

Related Words

• appliance
• diesel
• generator
• instrument
• motor
• power plant
• tool
• transformer
• weapon