Engineering English
Head
Energy Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Head in hydropower is the vertical distance that water falls or the pressure difference driving a turbine. It is a key parameter for calculating the potential energy available from a water source.
Example in context
“The gross head of the dam is 120 meters, but net head after pipe losses is 110 meters for turbine design.”
“Barajın brüt düşü yüksekliği 120 metredir, ancak boru kayıplarından sonra net düşü yüksekliği türbin tasarımı için 110 metredir.”
Where engineers use it
Head is a fundamental measurement in hydropower site assessment; engineers measure gross head and net head to estimate power output and select optimal turbine type. Accurate head data ensures efficient energy conversion.
Synonyms: hydraulic head, pressure head, fall height
Antonyms: tailwater elevation
Practice: can you use “Head” at work?
During a site visit for a small hydropower project, the local community measures a gross head of 50 m. You need to explain why piping and friction losses reduce net head and how that affects power generation.
Show a model answer
“Please confirm the net head available at the turbine inlet for the performance calculation.”
“Head” in 21 languages
| English | Head |
|---|---|
| Turkish | düşü yüksekliği |
| French | hauteur de chute |
| German | Fallhöhe |
| Spanish | salto |
| Chinese | 水头 |
| Arabic | الارتفاع الهيدرولي |
| Portuguese | altura de queda |
| Russian | напор |
| Japanese | 水頭 |
| Italian | salto |
| Vietnamese | cột nước |
| Hindi | जल शीर्ष |
| Thai | หัวน้ำ |
| Indonesian | tinggi jatuh |
| Korean | 수두 |
| Bengali | জল শীর্ষ |
| Dutch | valhoogte |
| Swedish | fallhöjd |
| Finnish | putouskorkeus |
| Ukrainian | напір |
Frequently asked questions
What does Head mean in engineering?
Head in hydropower is the vertical distance that water falls or the pressure difference driving a turbine. It is a key parameter for calculating the potential energy available from a water source. In Energy Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Head?
Head is pronounced /hɛd/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Head used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The gross head of the dam is 120 meters, but net head after pipe losses is 110 meters for turbine design.”
This entry is one of 7,806 terms in the Engineering English iOS app — with quizzes, spaced repetition and pronunciation checking.
Get the app on the App Store