Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A character of wheel-like form, supposed to symbolize the sun: it has many varieties, among others the wheel-cross, and exhibits four, five, or more arms or spokes radiating from a circle, every arm terminating in a crescent.
  • noun In cotton manufacturing, one of the gears or wheels of the ‘differential’ or ‘equating’ or ‘jack-in-a-box’ motion of a roving-machine, about the orbit of which other gears rotate. Also called a stud-wheel.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word sun-wheel.

Examples

  • Inlaid on the table was a twelve-spoked sun-wheel, continuing the symmetry of the room to a carved symbol obscured in shadow at the very apex of the design.

    Crusader Gold Gibbons, David 2007

  • Inlaid on the table was a twelve-spoked sun-wheel, continuing the symmetry of the room to a carved symbol obscured in shadow at the very apex of the design.

    Crusader Gold Gibbons, David 2007

  • Around it the flames shone through the embedded glass that made up the sun-wheel, an orange light that pulsed over the hooded figures to the wall beyond, illuminating the axe blades and the empty helmets in a flickering orange glow.

    Crusader Gold Gibbons, David 2007

  • Around it the flames shone through the embedded glass that made up the sun-wheel, an orange light that pulsed over the hooded figures to the wall beyond, illuminating the axe blades and the empty helmets in a flickering orange glow.

    Crusader Gold Gibbons, David 2007

  • Her nightstand was a rattan cabinet draped with a fall of crimson silk, with a statue of Brigid holding the sun-wheel placed at what he suspected was a precise angle, a tensor lamp, and a book —/It's Not Fair: The Grieving

    Watcher 3] Fire Watcher Saintcrow, Lilith 2006

  • A three legged sun-wheel insignia was worn on the right collar-patch.

    Archive 2004-11-01 2004

  • It's the closest thing we come to a "blot", the original norse celebration of the turn of the sun-wheel Christmas is called Jul in Norwegian, which incidentally is almost the same word as for Wheel.

    thinking with my fingers Torill 2001

  • It's the closest thing we come to a "blot", the original norse celebration of the turn of the sun-wheel Christmas is called Jul in Norwegian, which incidentally is almost the same word as for Wheel.

    Archive 2001-12-01 Torill 2001

  • It was the solar sail which filled most of the screen, like a. turning golden sun-wheel; yet remote vision could also appreciate its spiderweb intricacy, soaring and subtle curvatures, even the less-than-gossamer thinness.

    Explorations ANDERSON, Poul 1981

  • The symbol used is a rude mandala, a red circle with a thick black cross inside, recognizable as the ancient sun-wheel from which tradition says the swastika was broken by the early Christians, to disguise their outlaw symbol.

    Gravity's Rainbow Pynchon, Thomas 1978

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.