carburetor

American  

[kahr-buh-rey-ter, -byuh-] / ˈkɑr bəˌreɪ tər, -byə- /

especially British, carburator,

noun

1. a device for mixing vaporized fuel with air to produce a combustible or explosive mixture, as for an internal-combustion engine.

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Etymology

Origin of carburetor

First recorded in 1860–65; carburet + -or ²

Explanation

A carburetor is the part of a car's engine that combines gas vapors and air in a way that keeps things running. Many vehicles, including some small airplanes, have carburetors. Newer cars, which tend to have fuel injected engines, no longer have carburetors, but there are still plenty of cars and trucks on the road that do. An engine with a carburetor is called an internal combustion engine, and it relies on the carburetor to mix fuel and air in the right proportion. The word itself comes from the now-obsolete carburet, "combine or charge with a hydrocarbon."

Example Sentences

One memory stood out among the others: Watching Dale Earnhardt tinker with his carburetor under the hood of his car.

From Washington Times • Jul. 17, 2023

A good catcher is the quarterback, the carburetor, the lead dog, the pulse taker, the traffic cop and sometimes a lot of unprintable things, but no team gets very far without one.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 20, 2023

While he was flying his Farman, the line feeding fuel to the carburetor broke.

From Washington Post • Dec. 31, 2022

May the odds be ever in your carburetor.

From The Verge • Apr. 21, 2022

There is a needle valve, and the point must be on the needle and must sit in its hole or the carburetor does not work.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck