internal-combustion engine

American  

noun

1. an engine of one or more working cylinders in which the process of combustion takes place within the cylinders.

---

internal-combustion engine British  

noun

1. a heat engine in which heat is supplied by burning the fuel in the working fluid (usually air)

---

internal-combustion engine Scientific  

/ ĭn-tûr′nəl-kəm-bŭs′chən /

1. An engine whose fuel is burned inside the engine itself rather than in an outside furnace or burner. Gasoline and diesel engines are internal-combustion engines, as are gas turbine engines such as turbojets.

2. Compare steam engine

---

internal-combustion engine Cultural  

1. Any engine powered by burning fuel inside it (for example, a standard automobile engine). Internal-combustion engines normally burn fossil fuels and therefore are a major source of air pollution. (See smog.)

---

Etymology

Origin of internal-combustion engine

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Sebastian C. Schulte took over as chief executive at Deutz, the 162-year-old pioneer of the internal-combustion engine, around two weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

The company now says it will buy more internal-combustion engine vehicles, citing weaker demand and higher operating costs for E.V.s.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2024

That would make it impossible to sell internal-combustion engine cars.

From Reuters • Jun. 29, 2022

Some automakers have added artificial sounds to account for the absence of a growling internal-combustion engine — but Maserati said it won’t go that same route.

From The Verge • Mar. 17, 2022

It is well, therefore, that we include a short description of the internal-combustion engine such as is applied to motor-cars, for then we shall be able to understand the principles of the aeroplane engine.

From The Mastery of the Air by Claxton, William J.