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wind turbine

wind turbine

34 3.7
A machine with blades turned by wind to make electricity
  • noun
  • /wɪnd ˈtɜːrbaɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : turbina eólica
  • The wind turbine in the field generates electricity for the nearby homes.
  • electricity from a wind turbine
  • produce electricity with wind turbines
  • wind turbine generation

So what we're going to do here is we're going to do an experiment and we are going to turn electricity from our wind turbine into a gas that we can store.

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Examples

  • Next-generation vertical-axis wind turbines are also likely to grow to two or three times their current size.

    Academic text (1994)
  • In the United States, utility wind turbines are the primary focus of new technology development.

    Academic text (1994)
  • This is a wind turbine.

  • What happens when you put these wind turbines too close together or too far apart?

    Academic text (2008)
  • The design and development of the next generation of wind turbines have only just begun.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Using current technology, wind turbines have the potential of producing 20% of the electrical energy in the U.S.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Students may begin by familiarizing themselves with the various wind turbine designs now being offered.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The second fastest growing job is wind turbine technician.

  • Wind speed is, of course, variable, and thus wind turbines must operate over a range of wind velocities.

    Academic text (2009)
  • The noise caused by rotating blades is another unavoidable side effect of wind turbine operation.

    Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

windmill
vswind turbine
70 2.0

A structure with large blades that turn in the wind to make power or pump water

focuses on making electricity rather than doing general mechanical work
wind generator
vswind turbine
  • Specialized
2 4.1

A machine that uses wind to make electricity

describes the physical device with blades rather than the conversion process
aerogenerator
vswind turbine
  • Specialized
7.2

A machine like a wind turbine that makes electricity from the wind

is the everyday name rather than the technical label

How Powerful

power plant
  • US
143 2.9
turbomachinery
  • Specialized
7.6
steam turbine
  • Specialized
2 4.6
hydroelectric turbine
  • Specialized
1 4.3
wind turbine
  • Specialized
34 3.7

Surface Forms

wind turbine singular
wind turbines plural

Morphology

wind + turbine

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'wind' (air movement) + 'turbine' (a device that converts fluid energy); a learner who knows both words can infer it is a turbine powered by wind to produce energy. This is a transparent, technically descriptive compound found cross-linguistically, so the overall sense is immediately predictable from its parts.

Etymology

The name wind turbine comes from a simple picture: the wind pushes the blades of a turbine, making it turn like a wheel. That's why wind turbine means a device that uses the wind to 'produce electricity'.