universal joint

noun

A coupling that allows different parts of a machine not in line with each other some freedom of movement at the same time as transmitting rotary motion. Typical applications include driveshafts and socket wrenches.

Similar
U-jointuniversal couplingCardan jointHardy-Spicer jointHooke's jointuniversal
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Meanings

noununiversal joint (plural universal joints)

plural universal joints

  1. A coupling that allows different parts of a machine not in line with each other some freedom of movement at the same time as transmitting rotary motion. Typical applications include driveshafts and socket wrenches.

    The drive from each hydraulic transmission to the axle-mounted gearboxes on the outer axles of each bogie is through cardan shafts fitted with needle-bearing universal joints.

    1958 April 28, “British Railways First Main-Line Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotive”, in Railway Magazine, page 265

    Synonyms: U-joint, universal coupling, Cardan joint, Hardy-Spicer joint, Hooke's joint

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA coupling that allows different parts of a machine not in line with each other some freedom of movement at the same time as transmitting rotary motion. Typical applications include driveshafts and socket wrenches.

Similar
U-jointuniversal couplingCardan jointHardy-Spicer jointHooke's joint

More synonyms by meaning

nouncoupling that connects two rotating shafts allowing freedom of movement in all directions

Similar
universal
Broader
couplingcoupler
Also see
cardan jointuniversal

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Bulgarian карда́н
  • карда́н (kardán)type of coupling
Chinese Mandarin 萬向節 /万向节
  • 萬向節 /万向节 (wànxiàngjié)type of coupling
Danish kardanled
  • kardanledtype of coupling
Finnish kardaaninivel
  • kardaaniniveltype of coupling
French cardan, joint de Cardan
  • cardantype of coupling
  • joint de Cardantype of coupling
Hungarian kardáncsukló
  • kardáncsuklótype of coupling
Polish przegub krzyżakowy, przegub Cardana
  • przegub krzyżakowytype of coupling
  • przegub Cardanatype of coupling
  • kardantype of coupling
Romanian cardan
  • cardantype of coupling
Russian карда́нная переда́ча
  • карда́нная переда́ча (kardánnaja peredáča)type of coupling
Spanish coyuntura cardánica
  • coyuntura cardánicatype of coupling
Swedish kardanknut
  • kardanknuttype of coupling
Ukrainian карда́нна переда́ча
  • карда́нна переда́ча (kardánna peredáča)type of coupling
Welsh cymal cyffredinol
  • cymal cyffredinoltype of coupling
Cite this entry
APA

universal joint. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20joint

MLA

“universal joint.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20joint. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “universal joint,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/universal%20joint.

Source: universal joint on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.