Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
tailrace

tailrace

1 9.9
A channel that carries water away from a mill or turbine after it passes through
  • noun
  • /ˈteɪlreɪs/
  • Specialized
: canal de desagüe
  • The sediment settles at the bottom of the tailrace, creating a rich habitat for aquatic life.
  • tailraces below dams
  • tailrace area

Examples

  • Debris had collected in the tailrace, reducing the efficiency of the water wheel.

  • The engineers designed a tailrace to ensure the smooth discharge of water from the power plant.

  • After passing through the turbine, the water flows out through the tailrace into the river.

  • The tailrace is essential for preventing flooding.

  • Many mills have a tailrace to manage water.

  • The tailrace carries water away from the turbine after it generates electricity.

  • Fishermen often gather at the tailrace to catch fish that thrive in the flowing water.

Synonyms

race
vstailrace
  • Archaic
1 8.2

A channel built to carry water to or from a mill

carries water away after it has powered a wheel or turbine
tailwater
vstailrace
  • Specialized
1 7.4

Water in a river below a dam

is a built channel that moves water away after it has done work

Surface Forms

tailrace singular
tailraces plural

Morphology

tailrace = tail + race (semi-transparent) = tail + race

The components 'tail' and 'race' are recognizable, but the sense of 'race' as a water channel is technical/less familiar to many learners, making the compound somewhat specialized.

Etymology

Tailrace combines tail ('end') and race ('fast run' or 'channel'), like a racetrack for water. So a tailrace is the channel where water 'races' away from the tail or exit of a mill or turbine after it has done its work.