the word turbine was coined by the french engineer claude bourdin in the early 19th century and is derived from the latin word for "whirling" or a "vortex". the main difference between early water turbines and water wheels is a component of the water which passes energy to a spinning rotor. this additional component of motion allowed the turbine to be smaller than a water wheel of the same power. they could process more water by spinning faster and could use much greater heads. (later, impulse turbines were developed which did not use swirl).