windmill
Americannoun
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windmills
plural
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any of various machines for grinding, pumping, etc., driven by the force of the wind acting upon a number of vanes or sails.
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(loosely) a wind generator; wind plant.
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Aeronautics. a small air turbine with blades, like those of an airplane propeller, exposed on a moving aircraft and driven by the air, used to operate gasoline pumps, radio apparatus, etc.
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an imaginary opponent, wrong, etc. (in allusion to Cervantes'Don Quixote ).
to tilt at windmills.
verb (used with or without object)
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windmills,
present (3rd person singular)
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windmilled,
past participle, past
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windmilling
present participle
noun
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a machine for grinding or pumping driven by a set of adjustable vanes or sails that are caused to turn by the force of the wind
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the set of vanes or sails that drives such a mill
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Also called: whirligig. US and Canadian name: pinwheel. a toy consisting of plastic or paper vanes attached to a stick in such a manner that they revolve like the sails of a windmill
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an imaginary opponent or evil (esp in the phrase tilt at or fight windmills )
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a small air-driven propeller fitted to a light aircraft to drive auxiliary equipment Compare ram-air turbine
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an informal name for helicopter
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an informal name for propeller
verb
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to move or cause to move like the arms of a windmill
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an informal name for accommodation bill
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(intr) (of an aircraft propeller, rotor of a turbine, etc) to rotate as a result of the force of a current of air rather than under power
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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windmillsimple
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windmillssimple
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have windmilledperfect
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has windmilledperfect
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am windmillingprogressive
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are windmillingprogressive
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is windmillingprogressive
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have been windmillingperfect progressive
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has been windmillingperfect progressive
Past
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windmilledsimple
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had windmilledperfect
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was windmillingprogressive
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were windmillingprogressive
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had been windmillingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of windmill
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at wind 1, mill 1
Explanation
A structure that uses the power of flowing air to produce electricity or pump water is called a windmill. The Netherlands is especially famous for its windmills, some of which are hundreds of years old. The very oldest European windmills were called "post mills," upright posts topped with a turning blade or "sail" that rotated to face the wind. Today, the most recognizable windmills are "tower mills," stone or brick structures with wooden roofs that can spin as the wind direction changes, moving the rotating sail as needed. As the blades move, the machinery of the mill itself is powered to grind corn, pump water, or generate power for other uses.
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.
See Examples For:
But Sophie Cunningham has let the state turn her into a combination of Sancho Panza and Don Quixote, willing to joust with a windmill.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
“My goal is to not let any windmill be built.”
From Barron's ● Jan. 13, 2026
In laying out the workings of a traditional Dutch windmill, for instance, he conjures a fictional miller, “a congenial fellow” who “knocks out his pipe on the door frame” before getting to work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
"Cheap people like me," says Steve, "look at the windmill and say 'nah, I'm not gonna pay extra to go in there', but if it's all included I wouldn't hesitate."
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2025
On the third Sunday after Snowball’s expulsion, the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
For Cunningham’s supporters, it doesn’t matter that her opponents, as in “Don Quixote,” are not fierce giants but windmills posing no threat.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
Energy was provided by muscle power, windmills and water wheels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Many technologies can generate low-frequency noise, including ventilation systems, heat pumps, road traffic and windmills.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
Within the monument, we rambled along Soda Lake Road, admiring windmills, an old ranch house now reserved for bats, and a few hills dotted with lazy cows.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
"But, Your Grace, they're not giants. They're windmills!"
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
As that set ended, with Djokovic reaching a shot ball and replying at an impossible angle, he windmilled his arms and then pointed to his ear.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 1, 2024
He slipped and windmilled his arms to regain his balance, which made him think about how humans balance ourselves.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2021
Dark-eyed, dressy little town dolls and dutch-bobbed blondies from windmilled countrysides.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 8, 2019
What was left of the propeller windmilled as air rushed over it.
From The Verge ● Jun. 24, 2018
The blade windmilled, its every turn visible to Thomas, as if the world had turned to slow motion.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
We're not going to see AJ run across the ring in the first few seconds and start windmilling.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2025
Bae caught teammate Jason Delay chugging toward home and third base coach Mike Rabello’s right arm windmilling.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 7, 2023
Now, in Linares, Dominguín played to the crowd right away with ostentatious stunts, dropping to his knees in the sand and windmilling his cape as the first bull he faced leaped by.
From New York Times ● May 3, 2022
A few relievers stretched in the bullpen, swinging their legs, windmilling their arms in the humid air.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 13, 2021
She stops spinning her handles and switches into her victory dance, windmilling her arms as she leaps around the room.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
