motor

American  

[moh-ter] / ˈmoʊ tər /

noun

1. a comparatively small and powerful engine, especially an internal-combustion engine in an automobile, motorboat, or the like.

2. any self-powered vehicle.

3. a person or thing that imparts motion, especially a contrivance, as a steam engine, that receives and modifies energy from some natural source in order to utilize it in driving machinery.

4. Also called electric motor.  Electricity. a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, as an induction motor.

5. motors, stocks or bonds in automobile companies.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or operated by a motor.

2. of, for, by, or pertaining to motor vehicles.

   motor freight.

3. designed or for automobiles, their drivers, or their passengers.

   The hotel has a motor lobby in its parking garage for picking up and discharging passengers.

4. causing or producing motion.

5. Physiology. conveying an impulse that results or tends to result in motion, as a nerve.

6. Psychology, Physiology. Also of, relating to, or involving muscular movement.

   a motor response; motor images.

verb (used without object)

1. to ride or travel in an automobile; drive.

   They motored up the coast.

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly British. to drive or transport by car.

   He motored his son to school.

motor British  

/ ˈməʊtə /

noun

1. 1. the engine, esp an internal-combustion engine, of a vehicle

   2. ( as modifier )

      a motor scooter

2. Also called: electric motor.  a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy by means of the forces exerted on a current-carrying coil placed in a magnetic field

3. any device that converts another form of energy into mechanical energy to produce motion

4. an indispensable part or player that moves a process or system along

5. 1. a car or other motor vehicle

   2. as modifier

      motor spares

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adjective

1. producing or causing motion

2. physiol

   1. of or relating to nerves or neurons that carry impulses that cause muscles to contract

   2. of or relating to movement or to muscles that induce movement

verb

1. (intr) to travel by car

2. (tr) to transport by car

3. informal (intr) to move fast; make good progress

4. (tr) to motivate

motor Scientific  

/ mō′tər /

1. A machine that uses energy, such as electric or chemical energy (as from burning a fuel), to produce mechanical motion.

2. See also engine

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1. Involving the muscles or the nerves that are connected to them.

2. Compare sensory

Other Word Forms

• multimotor noun

Etymology

Origin of motor

1580–90; < Latin mōtor mover, equivalent to mō- (variant stem of movēre to move ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Founded in 1902, AAA is a nonprofit coalition of so-called motor clubs throughout the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The FCA previously estimated 44% of all motor finance agreements made from 2007 to late 2024 would be eligible for payouts, totalling more than £8bn.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

When these brain age measurements were compared with motor function scores, a clear pattern emerged.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

During his 51-year tenure, Michaelian transformed Long Beach into an iconic stop in the world of motor racing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

It keeps talking, like a boat motor with no shut-off valve, saying more stuff I want him to know, even though most of me knows he doesn’t care.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• cylinder
• generator
• transformer
• turbine