crankshaft

noun

crank·​shaft ˈkraŋk-ˌshaft 

1

: a shaft driven by or driving a crank

2

: a shaft consisting of a series of cranks and crankpins to which the connecting rods of an engine are attached

Examples of crankshaft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bradley Iger Four individual throttle bodies serve four cylinders apiece, and in its V configuration, the new engine required a crankshaft that's more than 3 feet long (1 m). —Bradley Iger, Ars Technica, 20 June 2024

But many of the most important engine parts are also built in-house, including camshafts and crankshafts that go straight from the foundry on site to CNC polishing machines running 24 hours a day, seven days a week with precision up to 1/10th of a millimeter. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 11 Dec. 2023

If that’s somehow not impressive enough for you, the engine redlines at 8,500 rpm thanks to the use of a new 180-degree flat-plane crankshaft. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2024

This model comprised a compression cylinder, an expanding cylinder and a crankshaft. —Amy Brady, Discover Magazine, 2 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

crankshaft

noun

crank·​shaft -ˌshaft 

: a shaft turning or driven by a crank or made up of a series of cranks