diesel-electric

American  

[dee-zuhl-i-lek-trik, -suhl-] / ˈdi zəl ɪˈlɛk trɪk, -səl- /

Or Diesel-electric

adjective

1. having an electric motor powered directly by an electric generator or by batteries charged by the generator, with the generator being driven by a diesel engine.

   a diesel-electric locomotive.

---

diesel-electric British  

noun

1. a locomotive fitted with a diesel engine driving an electric generator that feeds electric traction motors

---

adjective

1. of or relating to such a locomotive or system

Etymology

Origin of diesel-electric

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Railroad operators have been testing cleaner alternatives to diesel-powered locomotives, including battery models, but still rely on diesel-electric for almost all freight routes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Current diesel-electric trains are designed to draw their power from overhead lines on electrified sections of track.

From BBC • Nov. 10, 2024

The submarine shown in state media reports on Friday appears to be a reworked diesel-electric powered Romeo-class Russian submarine — a model dating back to the 1950s.

From Washington Times • Sep. 8, 2023

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the Krasnodar is a diesel-electric submarine built for the Black Sea fleet and designed "to fight surface ships and submarines, lay mines, and conduct reconnaissance".

From Reuters • Jul. 11, 2023

These were Foxtrot class diesel-electric subs, fairly outdated by American standards.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin