Definition of "paddle wheel" [paddle wheel]

• A wheel with boards or paddles affixed around its circumference, usually driven by steam to propel a ship. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.