turnstile
TURN-stile
/ˈtɜːnstaɪl/
A mechanical gate with revolving arms that allows one person at a time to pass through.
Used for ticket validation and controlling human flow into restricted transit areas.
The story behind the word. A compound of 'turn' and Old English 'stigel' (stile, a step or fence opening to let people pass while preventing livestock from escaping). Originally used in country fences before being adapted for urban ticket barriers.
Word relationships
- revolving gate: 'Revolving gate' is a descriptive term, while 'turnstile' is the standard precise noun.
Commonly confused with
- platform: A turnstile is the gate at the station entry; a platform is the boarding area near the tracks.
Collocations
- pass through a turnstile
- turnstile gate
- subway turnstile
Example sentences
- "He tapped his card on the reader and passed through the turnstile into the station." Subway entrance
- "Long queues formed near the turnstiles during the evening rush hour." Crowd control
Memory hook
It TURNS like a wheel at a STILE barrier. The spinning gate that lets one person through.
When not to use
Do not use for open double doors or motorized road barriers.
Fun facts
- Early 20th-century subway turnstiles were entirely mechanical and activated solely by coin weight.
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.