wheelchair

American  

[weel-chair, hweel-] / ˈwilˌtʃɛər, ˈʰwil- /

noun

• wheelchairs
  plural

1. a chair mounted on wheels for use by persons who cannot walk.

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wheelchair British  

/ ˈwiːlˌtʃɛə /

noun

1. med a special chair mounted on large wheels, for use by invalids or others for whom walking is impossible or temporarily inadvisable

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wheelchairs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wheelchair

First recorded in 1690–1700; wheel + chair

Explanation

A wheelchair is a device people use to get around independently if they are unable to walk. You can easily navigate sidewalks, businesses, and schools in a wheelchair, as long as there are appropriate ramps and elevators available. A wheelchair is just what it sounds like: a chair with wheels. When people have injuries or conditions that don't allow them to use their legs for walking, using a wheelchair gives them a new kind of mobility. While the earliest wheelchairs had to be pushed by another person, today you can propel a wheelchair yourself, either manually, by pushing the wheels to move forward, or using electricity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wheelchair wheelchairs

She then jumped out of a second-story window, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down and using a wheelchair.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

Since then, Curry had been in a wheelchair, with on-screen cameos including as the criminologist in the 2016 TV remake of “Rocky Horror.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

There have also been reports of people unable to refrigerate medication and a wheelchair user crawling down their stairs in the absence of working lifts.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

Clancy, now 36, was paralysed by the jump and has attended the trial in a wheelchair.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

A few seconds later, an old man rolled into the room in a wheelchair.

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney

But these additional and specific challenges faced - from struggling service dogs to overheating wheelchairs - are often overlooked, even in public advice and emergency planning, say campaigners and researchers.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Others required the use of crutches, wheelchairs and, in the most extreme cases, artificial breathing machines known as iron lungs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Mariko Nakamura of NTT said she believed the tech could be developed for other devices like wheelchairs or remote controls.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

The Biden administration’s wheelchair protection regulations represent crucial safeguards for disabled air travelers, addressing a documented problem in which airlines damage wheelchairs at rates significantly higher than regular luggage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 15, 2026

And when I peek through the door, there’s Rosa in her wheelchair, laughing with two other girls in wheelchairs.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen