This is the 5295th most frequent German word.
axel
"Axel" is a figure skating jump where the skater rotates in the air.
Here, 'Axel' refers to a figure skating jump named after its creator. It is being used as a noun referring to the specific jump.
Der Turner machte einen perfekten Axel.
The gymnast performed a perfect axel.
In this context, 'Axel' is part of the compound 'axelgetrieben', where it refers to a mechanical axle.
Die axelgetriebene Maschine funktioniert reibungslos.
The axle-driven machine operates smoothly.
In this case, 'Axel' functions as a proper noun, referring to a personal name.