Illustration of waterwheel
- waterwheel 1
waterwheel
noun
wa·ter·wheel
ˈwȯ-tər-ˌ(h)wēl 
ˈwä-
1
: a wheel made to rotate by direct action of water
2
: a wheel for raising water
Examples of waterwheel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This whimsical garden is complete with decorative windmill, waterwheel, and cheery flowers.
—
Sarah Miller,
Midwest Living,
29 Apr. 2026
The Venus flytrap’s aquatic cousin — the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) — also has rapid-closing traps, only they’re tuned to underwater prey.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
In the case of carnivorous plants, Natural History Museum, Berlin, botanist Eva-Maria Sadowski says, prehistoric relatives of today’s waterwheel plant are known from prehistoric pollen in rocks about as old as the carnivorous leaves in amber.
—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 June 2025
The elements in general are definitely reminiscent of the traps on a Venus flytrap, although they were actually inspired by the prey-catching appendages of another carnivorous plant, the aquatic waterwheel (Aldrovanda vesiculosa).
—
Ben Coxworth
may 23,
New Atlas,
23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for waterwheel
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Sarah Miller,
Midwest Living,
29 Apr. 2026
The Venus flytrap’s aquatic cousin — the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa) — also has rapid-closing traps, only they’re tuned to underwater prey.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
In the case of carnivorous plants, Natural History Museum, Berlin, botanist Eva-Maria Sadowski says, prehistoric relatives of today’s waterwheel plant are known from prehistoric pollen in rocks about as old as the carnivorous leaves in amber.
—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 June 2025
The elements in general are definitely reminiscent of the traps on a Venus flytrap, although they were actually inspired by the prey-catching appendages of another carnivorous plant, the aquatic waterwheel (Aldrovanda vesiculosa).
—
Ben Coxworth
may 23,
New Atlas,
23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for waterwheel
Cite this Entry
“Waterwheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waterwheel. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
waterwheel
noun
wa·ter·wheel
-ˌhwēl
-ˌwēl
: a wheel made to turn by a flow of water against it
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