From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
flywheel \flywheel\ n. A heavy wheel or disk which stores kinetic energy by rotating on a shaft, and by its momentum smoothes the operation of a reciprocating engine by reducing fluctuations of speed. It is used in certain types of machinery, such as automobiles. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
Note: Flywheels rotating at high speed have also been proposed as a means to store kinetic energy for use as a low-polluting source of energy in vehicles. [PJC]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: regulator consisting of a heavy wheel that stores kinetic energy and smoothes the operation of a reciprocating engine
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