What is the Latin word for pulley?

The usual Latin words for “pulley” are trochlea, artemōn, orbis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“pulley” in Latin

trochleamechanical contrivance for raising weights; case or sheaf containing one or more pulleys; pulley block artemōntopsail, foresail, bysail; main block in a pulley system orbiscircle, ring; of things that return at a certain period of time, a rotation, round, circuit; an orb (sphere)

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

pulley

trochlea: the first pulley (in a system of pulleys), trochlea superior (called by some rechamus, Vitr. 10, 2, 1): the third pulley, trochlea tertia: artemon (ἀρτέμων, according to Vitr., 10, 2, 9, the right expression): a system of pulleys, to be translated by so many orbiculi; a system of three pulleys, tres orbiculi; orbiculus (round which the rope runs).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for pulley?: The usual Latin words for “pulley” are trochlea, artemōn, orbis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.