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

He was warmly applauded by participants and supporters of the games, and tried his hand at pickleball and wheelchair rugby.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

These milestones were the culmination of Parks' tireless lobbying; the debt to him was formally acknowledged in 2010 when he became the first wheelchair athlete to be inducted into tennis' Hall of Fame.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

But by the time they had decided to hold their first wheelchair tennis event in 1977 in Irvine, California, they had settled on keeping it very simple.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

Parks, who had originally given himself a year to see if wheelchair tennis was feasible, is proud but modest about his own role 50 years on.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

She ran for the wheelchair and pushed it to the end of the gangplank as proud as though she were rolling out the red carpet for royalty.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

"I managed to find a witness who said they were chatting away - there were no wheelchairs, no crutches, and John was able to communicate," Gibson said.

From BBC ● May 16, 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

Then the truck rattles off down to bus stops, ensuring that they’re accessible: 4 feet wide for people with disabilities and in wheelchairs.

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026

Build the next big thing rather than wheelchairs for tired old businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

Some of the children couldn’t walk and would have to spend the rest of their lives in wheelchairs.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall