windmill

windmill — noun

IPA/ˈwɪndmɪl/
KK[wˈɪndmˌɪl]IPA/ˈwɪndmɪl/
  • windmillsingular
  • windmillsplural

1. A traditional building whose large outer blades turn in the wind, providing powe

1.nounB1
Definition

A traditional building whose large outer blades turn in the wind, providing power to pump water or grind grain into flour.

Example

Trang visited a windmill in the Netherlands that still grinds barley into flour.

collocation: grind grain / pump water

The old windmill stood on a hill overlooking the fields.

Common collocations
  • grind grain
  • pump water
  • blades of a windmill
  • windmill sails
  • restored windmill
Synonyms
  • mill

    broader term — can also be powered by water or animals

Usage Note

In British English, the rotating parts of this type of windmill are traditionally called sails rather than blades.

Common Mistakes

The farmer took shelter inside the windmill during the storm.
The farmer took shelter inside the mill house during the storm.
A traditional windmill is a working structure with grinding machinery, not a shelter.

2. A modern, tall structure with blades that turn in the wind to generate electrici

2.nounB2
Definition

A modern, tall structure with blades that turn in the wind to generate electricity.

Example

A row of windmills stood on the ridge, each one powering hundreds of homes.

modern sense: wind turbine / electricity generation

The government plans to build more windmills along the coast.

Common collocations
  • wind farm
  • renewable energy
  • generate electricity
  • offshore windmill
  • wind turbine
Synonyms
  • wind turbine

    the more technical and precise term

  • turbine

    refers to the rotating machine itself; can also be water-driven

  • generator

    focuses on the electrical output rather than the whole structure

Usage Note

In everyday conversation, windmill is often used to mean wind turbine. Engineers and technical writers prefer wind turbine for electricity-generating devices.

Common Mistakes

The farmer stored his wheat inside the wind turbine.
The farmer stored his wheat in the barn.
A wind turbine (modern windmill) has no interior storage space; it is a narrow tower with a generator at the top.

3. A children's toy on a short stick, with a colourful plastic wheel that turns in

3.nounB1
Definition

A children's toy on a short stick, with a colourful plastic wheel that turns in the wind — children also make it spin by blowing on the blades.

Example

The little girl ran across the park holding a bright pink windmill.

child's toy pinwheel on a stick

Caio bought a windmill for his nephew at the street fair.

Common collocations
  • plastic windmill
  • brightly coloured windmill
  • wave a windmill
  • blow a windmill
Synonyms
  • pinwheel

    standard term in American English

Usage Note

In American English, this toy is usually called a pinwheel. The word windmill for this toy is more common in British English.

Idioms

tilt at windmills

idiom

To fight against problems that are not real or important.

Maya accused her boss of tilting at windmills during the meeting.

Why does Brian keep tilting at windmills instead of solving real issues?

windmill — verb

IPA/ˈwɪnd.mɪl/
KK[wˈɪndmˌɪl]IPA/ˈwɪnd.mɪl/

Word family

  • wind-powered
    adjectiveB2
  • wind turbine
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mill is the broadest term — it refers to any building or machine that grinds, which can be powered by wind (windmill), water (watermill), or electricity. Wind turbine is the modern technical term for the tall electricity-generating structures that many people now also call windmills; engineers and technical writers prefer wind turbine when discussing power generation. Turbine is a wider category that includes steam, gas, and water-driven turbines as well, so it is less specific. Pinwheel is the American English name for the child's toy windmill (sense 3) and should not be used for the building. In everyday usage, saying 'a windmill farm' is common, though the correct technical term is 'wind farm'.

mill ↗wind turbineturbine ↗pinwheel

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • row of windmills
  • blades of a windmill

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicLate LatinEnglish

Windmill is a compound word formed in English from 'wind' (moving air, from Old English 'wind') and 'mill' (a grinding machine, from Old English 'mylen', which came through Germanic from Late Latin 'molina', from Latin 'mola' meaning millstone). The word has been used for the structures since they first appeared in Europe during the Middle Ages.