What is spinning jenny? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of spinning jenny in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of spinning jenny

spinning jennynoun
quay jenny
/ˌspɪnɪŋ ˈdʒeni//ˌspɪnɪŋ ˈdʒeni/

Where does the word spinning jenny come from?

The phrase "spinning Jenny" is the nickname given to a spinning frame invented by James Hargreaves, a British textile manufacturer, in the mid-18th century. The original name for this machine was the "Spindling Frame," but it quickly gained the popular name "Spinning Jenny" due to Hargreaves' wife's name, Ellen, a diminutive for the name Helen, which was commonly pronounced "Jenny" during that time. This machine revolutionized the textile industry by enabling several spindles to be used simultaneously, significantly increasing spinners' output. It is still considered a breakthrough innovation that spurred the Industrial Revolution, and its legacy can be seen in modern spinning machines that bear similarities to Hargreaves' original invention.

Example of vocabulary spinning jennynamespace

Lena's great-great-grandmother used a spinning Jenny to produce high-quality textiles, which laid the foundation for their family's successful textile business.
In the early 19th century, the Spinning Jenny became a vital piece of equipment for textile mills, allowing them to significantly increase their production capacity.
The Spinning Jenny transformed the way in which textiles were produced by replacing the traditional hand-spinning method with a more efficient and large-scale production process.
The Spinning Jenny's internal spinning mechanism enabled operators to rapidly produce multiple threads simultaneously, making fabric manufacturing an entirely different beast.
James Hargreaves' invention of the Spinning Jenny revolutionized the textile industry, contributing to the prosperity of the British Empire and the growth of the industrial revolution.