wheelchair
WEELT-sheh-uh
Wheelchair (noun) means a chair fitted with large wheels, used by people who can't walk or walk easily. Example: “After the accident, she used a wheelchair for several months.”
noun
1
A chair fitted with large wheels, used by people who can't walk or walk easily.
"After the accident, she used a wheelchair for several months."
"The new cinema has ramps and lifts so that every wheelchair can get inside."
"He folded his wheelchair and put it in the back of the car."
verb
1
To move someone or something using a wheelchair.
"They strolled, ran, walked and wheelchaired the track."
— , 3,000 JOIN SPIRITED WALK TO HELP RAISE FUNDS IN FIGHT WITH CANCER (1996)
"People who took part walked, jogged, ran, rollerbladed and wheelchaired the five kilometers"
— , 'Human Race'raises fundsfor charit (1996)
"Almost all of them learned wheelchairing and all learned to manage to eat by themselves."
— Gosta Blennow, Neurological Findings in the Carbohydrate-deficient Glycoprotein Syndrome (1991)
"A porter wheelchaired him to the departure gate."
"The nurse wheelchaired her grandmother down the corridor to the garden."
"After the race, volunteers wheelchaired the tired runner to the first aid tent."
How to use wheelchair
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA wheeled chair that lets someone with limited mobility move around independently.
Common pairings
wheelchair user
wheelchair access
wheelchair-bound
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Word forms
- Plural
- wheelchairs
- Third person singular
- wheelchairs
- Past tense
- wheelchaired
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
After the accident, she used a _____ for several months.
Etymology
A straightforward combination of "wheel" and "chair," describing exactly what it is.
Synonyms
View more →
invalid chair
Rhymes for wheelchair
See all rhymes for wheelchair →Frequently asked questions
What does “wheelchair” mean?
The word “wheelchair” means a chair fitted with large wheels, used by people who can't walk or walk easily. In plain terms, a wheeled chair that lets someone with limited mobility move around independently.
How do you pronounce “wheelchair”?
“Wheelchair” is pronounced WEELT-sheh-uh (/ˈ(h)wilt͡ʃɛɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “wheelchair” in a sentence?
Here is “wheelchair” used in a sentence: “After the accident, she used a wheelchair for several months.”
What part of speech is “wheelchair”?
Depending on how it is used, “wheelchair” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “wheelchair” a common word?
“Wheelchair” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “wheelchair” have?
“Wheelchair” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a chair fitted with large wheels, used by people who can't walk or walk easily.
What is the difference between wheelchair as a noun and as a verb?
As a noun, wheelchair refers to a chair fitted with large wheels used by people who can't walk or walk easily. As a verb, to wheelchair means to move someone or something using a wheelchair, such as "she wheelchaired him to the entrance."
Is wheelchair-bound an appropriate term to use?
Many style guides and disability advocates now prefer phrases like "wheelchair user" over "wheelchair-bound," since the latter can imply confinement rather than describing the wheelchair as a tool for mobility.
What common phrases use the word wheelchair?
Common collocations include "wheelchair accessible," "wheelchair user," and "wheelchair ramp," all of which describe accommodations or usage related to wheelchairs.
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