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windmill

/ˌwɪn(d)ˈmil/
/ˈwɪndmɪl/
IPA guide

Other forms: windmills

A structure that uses the power of flowing air to produce electricity or pump water is called a windmill. The Netherlands is especially famous for its windmills, some of which are hundreds of years old.

The very oldest European windmills were called "post mills," upright posts topped with a turning blade or "sail" that rotated to face the wind. Today, the most recognizable windmills are "tower mills," stone or brick structures with wooden roofs that can spin as the wind direction changes, moving the rotating sail as needed. As the blades move, the machinery of the mill itself is powered to grind corn, pump water, or generate power for other uses.

Definitions of windmill
  1. noun
    a mill that is powered by the wind
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    type of:
    grinder, mill, milling machinery
    machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing
  2. noun
    generator that extracts usable energy from winds
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    type of:
    generator
    engine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy by electromagnetic induction
Pronunciation
US
/ˌwɪn(d)ˈmil/
UK
/ˈwɪndmɪl/
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