motor

American  

[moh-ter] / ˈmoʊ tər /

noun

• motors
  plural

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)

• motors,
  present (3rd person singular)
• motored,
  past participle,  past
• motoring
  present participle

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

   They motored up the coast.

verb (used with object)

• motors,
  present (3rd person singular)
• motored,
  past participle,  past
• motoring
  present participle

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

Derived Forms

• multimotor
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• motors
  plural

Participles

• motoring
  present
• motored
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• motor
  simple
• motors
  simple
• have motored
  perfect
• has motored
  perfect
• am motoring
  progressive
• are motoring
  progressive
• is motoring
  progressive
• have been motoring
  perfect progressive
• has been motoring
  perfect progressive

Past

• motored
  simple
• had motored
  perfect
• was motoring
  progressive
• were motoring
  progressive
• had been motoring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will motor
  simple
• will have motored
  perfect
• will be motoring
  progressive
• will have been motoring
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of motor

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

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Explanation

A motor runs your car, whizzes the blender and gets your golf cart going: it's simply a machine that converts energy into motion. Coming to us from a Latin word that means "to move," motor is certainly connected to the world of motion. Without the innovation of Ford motors, most of America wouldn't be able to get anywhere today. These days the motor is undergoing some serious revisions, as engineers look for a way to power things with less gasoline and more sunshine.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

motor motors motored motoring

While several Rwandans told AFP of their pride that their country will soon host the pinnacle of motor sports, Kigali entrepreneur Amon Niyigena, took a more pragmatic view.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Lindsey has also run several marathons in memory of her late husband, who died in 2024, four and half years after his diagnosis of motor neurone disease.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Patients receiving Zanvastro generally experienced stabilization of their motor function, and some showed improvements in their ability to move.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

The property also offers a four-car garage, while a large motor court provides even more room for vehicles and guests arriving at the estate.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

Every night when he waited for her near the Mud House door, his pulse revved faster, like a boat motor warming up.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

Ukrainian drone manufacturers rely on Chinese motors, batteries and electronics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

But successful designs have become more seriously contemplated only in recent years as electric motors and high-performance batteries have advanced.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Chief among Jonas’s callouts is China’s control of magnetic rare earths, which are used to make motors that are key to actuation systems.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

They have become a hallmark of modern devices, with smartphones, watches and video game controllers among those containing small motors that move in response to specific electronic signals.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Inside his lab, amid the stink of petroleum fumes and the clatter of motors, Tuve asked Lawrence what research he intended to do at Berkeley, and got what he thought was a woolly answer.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

The U.S. economy has motored along, powered by the artificial-intelligence build-out and a stock-market rally lifting spending among higher-income households.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

As the boat motored across the sea, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said other nations should come to Cuba's aid.

From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026

For some reason—the police cited low tide; Mafart claimed the problem was fishermen at the pickup spot—Dillais motored past Teal Park heading east.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025

Arráez, meanwhile, motored up the line and through the base, then slammed into Dubón.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2025

Hamilton started the engine and we motored west, looking for land.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

The rest—the models, the step and repeats, the Veuve Clicquot, the British motoring journalists complaining about the size of said sashimi—felt like a solid, traditional 9.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

However, it stopped short of introducing GDLs, which motoring organisation the AA described as "a missed opportunity".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Average UK diesel prices have hit a record high, according to the RAC motoring organisation.

From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026

The motoring organisation said a litre of unleaded now costs 167.17p - the biggest weekly increase since April - while diesel has also risen by 5p to 188.63p.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

I'm just motoring for the pleasure of it, you see.'

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

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