| Abstract from DBPedia | A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some parts of the English speaking world. The term wind engine is sometimes used to describe such devices. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern periods; the horizontal or panemone windmill first appeared in Persia during the 9th century, and the vertical windmill first appeared in northwestern Europe in the 12th century. Regarded as an icon of Dutch culture, there are approximately 1,000 windmills in the Netherlands today.風車（ふうしゃ、かざぐるま）は、に風を受けて回転し、風力から動力を得るための装置。発電・製粉・風速計などに使われる。「かざぐるま」と読むと、羽根車に柄を付け、風の力で回して遊ぶ玩具も含まれる（風車 (玩具)参照）。 英語では windmill だが、mill（原義は碾き臼）でわかるとおり、windmill は本来は製粉の動力に使われるものを指す。また、風力発電などに使われる現代風の風車（風力原動機）は wind turbine とよばれるが、日本語ではこれらを含めて風車と呼ばれることが多い。 (Source: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Windmill) |
