Plural of rotor; rotating parts of machines, especially the spinning blades of helicopters or the moving elements in electric motors.
From Latin rotor meaning 'one who turns', from rotare meaning 'to turn or rotate'. The term was first used in mechanical contexts in the early 20th century, becoming particularly associated with helicopter technology and electrical engineering as these fields developed.
Rotors represent one of humanity's most elegant solutions to the challenge of flight - instead of needing forward motion like airplane wings, helicopter rotors create lift by spinning. The word perfectly captures the essence of rotational motion that makes both flight and electrical generation possible through the same basic principle.
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