impeller

noun

im·​pel·​ler im-ˈpe-lər How to pronounce impeller (audio)
variants or less commonly impellor
1
: one that impels
2
a
: a rotor located in a conduit to impart motion to a fluid
b
: a blade of a rotor

Examples of impeller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s because food waste gets caught in the hopper chamber and around the impellers. — Julia Mitchem, Architectural Digest, 30 Dec. 2024 For those with snowblowers, loose pieces of crushed gravel can spell trouble for the impeller. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2026 Its jet-drive propulsion system, when deployed, creates thrust by accelerating well fluids via an impeller unit, which moves the probe through the wellbore. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025 The only plausible space for the vacuum impeller, motor, and filter (needed to separate the dirt from the flowing air) was to take over a corner of the dust cup. — IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impeller

Word History

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of impeller was in 1685

Rhymes for impeller

See All Rhymes for impeller

Browse Nearby Words

impellent
impeller
impend
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Impeller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impeller. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on impeller

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about impeller

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