flywheel

noun

fly·​wheel ˈflī-ˌ(h)wēl 

: a heavy wheel for opposing and moderating by its inertia any fluctuation of speed in the machinery with which it revolves

also : a similar wheel used for storing kinetic energy (as for motive power)

Did you know?

A heavy wheel attached to a rotating shaft, a flywheel smooths out delivery of power from a motor to a machine. The inertia of the flywheel moderates fluctuations in the speed of the engine and stores the excess energy for intermittent use. In automobile engines, the flywheel smooths out the pulses of energy provided by combustion in the cylinders, and provides energy for the compression stroke of the pistons. In power presses, the punching, shearing, and forming are done in a fraction of the operating cycle. During the rest of the cycle, the speed of the flywheel is built up by a comparatively low-powered motor, and most of the required energy for the cycle is provided by the flywheel.

Examples of flywheel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Deep user engagement also creates a flywheel effect between users and content producers/marketplace sellers. —Zev Fima, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024

To put it in Silicon Valley terms that many of the progress conference attendees would be familiar with: The flywheel is broken. —Bryan Walsh, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Once a vinyl record of choice is secured in place by a Signature puck – for stability and dampening – the belt around the platter's girth is driven by a flywheel motor system, which benefits from a vibration-dampening aluminum block. —Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2024

That’s when the flywheel began to take hold, momentum built, and eventually, the teams became the Agile experts. —Mamie Jones, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

flywheel

noun

fly·​wheel -ˌhwēl  -ˌwēl 

: a heavy wheel for regulating the speed of machinery