Pööreid

Pööreid is the plural form of the Estonian noun pööre, which denotes a rotation, turn, or revolution. A pööre is one full turn around an axis, equivalent to 360 degrees. The term is used in both everyday language and technical contexts to describe the motion of rotating parts such as wheels, gears, and turbines.

In engineering and mechanics, rotational speed is measured as revolutions per minute. In Estonian technical writing this is often expressed as p/min or rpm. For example, a car engine may run at around 3000 pööreid/min in typical cruising conditions, and a turbine’s speed is likewise specified in pööreid/min.

Pööre may also be used metaphorically to describe a change of direction or a turning point in a process, policy, or history. In political language the term appears in compounds such as riigipööre, meaning a coup d'état, or more generally to denote a significant shift.

Etymology and usage notes: pööre derives from the verb pöörama, meaning to turn. The noun pööre captures the act or result of turning, and pööreid is used when referring to multiple such turns or instances of rotation. Common phrases incorporate the idea of rotational speed (pööreid/min) and mechanical rotation across various domains, including automotive engineering, machine tools, and power generation.