AEolipyle

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  AEolipile \[AE]*ol"i*pile\, AEolipyle \[AE]*ol"i*pyle\, n. [L.
     aeolipilae; Aeolus god of the winds + pila a ball, or Gr. ?
     gate (i. e., doorway of [AE]olus); cf. F. ['e]olipyle.]
     An apparatus consisting chiefly of a closed vessel (as a
     globe or cylinder) with one or more projecting bent tubes,
     through which steam is made to pass from the vessel, causing


     it to revolve. [Written also {eolipile}.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Such an apparatus was first described by Hero of
           Alexandria about 200 years b. c. It has often been
           called the first steam engine.
           [1913 Webster] aeolotropic