reciprocating engine

American  

noun

1. any engine employing the rectilinear motion of one or more pistons in cylinders.

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reciprocating engine British  

noun

1. an engine in which one or more pistons move backwards and forwards inside a cylinder or cylinders

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Etymology

Origin of reciprocating engine

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

At the same time, oil and gas is expected to see moderate growth this year, with reciprocating engine sales expected to increase, driven by strong demand in gas compression applications, Creed says.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

There was plenty of space for a seated pilot behind a reciprocating engine.

From Time Magazine Archive

And there were still many jet plane problems to be licked before the planes were as practical as reciprocating engine types.

From Time Magazine Archive

During World War II, Ryan built 1,600 PTs for the Army and a few score Navy Fireballs, the nation's first combination jet and reciprocating engine fighters.

From Time Magazine Archive

His plan—not a new one, though it had never before been made available in practice—was to substitute for the ordinary reciprocating engine a machine which should at once produce a circular motion.

From The Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald, Vol. II by Dundonald, Thomas Barnes Cochrane, Earl of