Start a free trial

Word for Wednesday: Catherine Wheel


This month’s Word for Wednesday theme is fireworks.

A firework is a device with an explosive that burns with coloured flames. The word dates to the 1570s from the Old English ‘fyr’ and ‘work’. 

So far we’ve looked at sparklers and fountains. Our third firework for November is the Catherine wheel. 

A Catherine wheel is a spinning firework that emits colourful sparks. It is usually affixed to something solid like a wall before being lit.

The Catherine wheel is named after St Catherine of Alexandria who was sentenced to death on a spiked wheel which broke at her touch. She was instead executed by beheading. 

The word wheel comes from the Old English ‘hweol’.
 



17 Nov 2021
blog home

Tags:

Word, Wednesday, Old, English, Month, Theme, Fireworks

Start a free trial

"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill