diesel engine
- a compression-ignition engine in which a spray of fuel, introduced into air compressed to a temperature of approximately 1000° F (538° C), ignites at a virtually constant pressure.
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Origin of diesel engine
First recorded in 1890–95
Also called diesel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
dieseldiesel engine
diesel motor
- a type of internal-combustion engine in which atomized fuel oil is sprayed into the cylinder and ignited by compression alone
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
diesel engine
[dē′zəl]
- An internal-combustion engine in which the fuel oil is ignited by the heat of air that has been highly compressed in the cylinder, rather than by a spark. Due to the need for the engine to withstand very high pressures, diesel engines are relatively heavy; however, they are relatively fuel-efficient, especially when running at low power.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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