Windmill

/ˈwɪndmɪl/ noun

Definition

A building with rotating blades or sails powered by wind to grind grain or pump water.

Etymology

From 'wind' plus 'mill,' Old English 'myln' from Latin 'molina.' Medieval technology combined air power with grain grinding, creating one of history's most efficient renewable energy machines.

Kelly Says

Windmills were basically medieval AI—they did repetitive mechanical work without human labor, which freed people up for other tasks and fundamentally changed medieval economies, yet we rarely talk about them that way.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.