waterwheel

• Roue à godets ou à aubes qui, placée dans un cours d'eau ou actionnée par celui-ci, sert à élever l'eau ou à transmettre l'énergie hydraulique; elle fonctionne comme une turbine simple ou comme organe de mouture.

A wheel with buckets attached to its rim that raises water from a stream or pond, or a wheel that rotates by direct action of water, functioning as a simple turbine.

1. Water-raising wheelB2formal

   A wheel with buckets or containers attached to its rim, used to lift water from a stream or pond for irrigation or drainage.

   Roue à eau élévatrice

   • The old waterwheel lifted water from the river to the fields.
   • Farmers used a waterwheel to irrigate their crops.
   • The museum displayed a replica of a medieval waterwheel.

   Synonymesnoria

2. Power-generating wheelB2formal

   A wheel that rotates by the direct action of flowing water, functioning as a simple turbine to harness energy.

   Roue hydraulique

   • The mill's waterwheel turned to grind grain into flour.
   • Engineers studied the waterwheel to understand early hydropower.
   • The waterwheel provided mechanical power for the workshop.