aeolipile

or ae·ol·i·pyle, e·ol·i·pile

[ ee-ol-uh-pahyl ]

noun

1. a round vessel caused to rotate by the force of tangentially escaping steam: an early example of jet propulsion.
2. a device for injecting the vapors of heated alcohol into a laboratory furnace.

aeolipile

/ iːˈɒlɪˌpaɪl /

noun

1. a device illustrating the reactive forces of a gas jet: usually a spherical vessel mounted so as to rotate and equipped with angled exit pipes from which steam within it escapes

Word History and Origins

Origin of aeolipile¹

1650–60; < Latin aeolīpilae balls of Aeolus, alteration of aeolīpylae gates of Aeolus, equivalent to Aeolī (genitive singular of Aeolus ) + pylae, plural of pyla < Greek pýlē gate

Word History and Origins

Origin of aeolipile¹

C17: from Latin aeolīpilae balls of Aeolus or aeolīpylae gates of Aeolus

Example Sentences

The history of steam as a motor generally commences with reference to that toy called the aeolipile, described by Hero of Alexandria in a treatise on pneumatics about two centuries before Christ, and which was the invention of either himself or Ctesibius, his teacher.

From Project Gutenberg

There is even a little engine run by steam--the aeolipile--invented by him, which shows how close the old Greeks were to the underlying principles of discoveries that were destined to come only after the development of industries created a demand for them in the after time.

From Project Gutenberg

Today's water jets are the end result of developments that date back to the first century B.C., when the Greek mathematician and scientist Hero of Alexandria built his aeolipile to demonstrate a principle of jet propulsion.

From Time Magazine Archive

Such is the vehemence of these attacks, that the unfortunate subjects of them are often driven backwards for great distances at immense speed, on the well-known principle of the aeolipile.

From Project Gutenberg

The Aeolipile, in hydraulics, is an instrument consisting of a hollow metallic ball, with a slender neck or pipe, arising from it.

From Project Gutenberg