engine
Americannoun
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engines
plural
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a machine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy or power to produce force and motion.
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a railroad locomotive.
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a fire engine.
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Computers. a piece or collection of software that drives a later process (used in combination, as in ).
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any mechanical contrivance.
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a machine or instrument used in warfare, as a battering ram, catapult, or piece of artillery.
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a means by which something is achieved, accomplished, or furthered.
Trade is an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and increases economic opportunity.
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Obsolete. an instrument of torture, especially the rack.
noun
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any machine designed to convert energy, esp heat energy, into mechanical work
a steam engine
a petrol engine
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a railway locomotive
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( as modifier )
the engine cab
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military any of various pieces of equipment formerly used in warfare, such as a battering ram or gun
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obsolete any instrument or device
engines of torture
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A machine that turns energy into mechanical force or motion, especially one that gets its energy from a source of heat, such as the burning of a fuel. The efficiency of an engine is the ratio between the kinetic energy produced by the machine and the energy needed to produce it.
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See more at internal-combustion engine steam engine See also motor
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of engine
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English engin, from Anglo-French, Old French engign, enging, from Latin ingenium “nature, innate quality, mental power, clever invention,” equivalent to in- “in” + -genium (equivalent to gen- “begetting” + -ium noun suffix); see in- 2, kin, -ium
Explanation
An engine is a machine that burns fuel to make something move. The engine in a car is the motor that makes it go. Engines power vehicles including cars, trains, airplanes, and boats. While these engines tend to be powered by fuel that's burned, other engines get their power from electricity, which they convert to mechanical energy — fans, power tools, and small appliances all commonly have electric engines. Figuratively, you can also use the word engine to mean "something that's used to bring about a specific result." In your state, for example, tourism might be the main engine of job growth.
Vocabulary lists containing engine
Engineering - Introductory
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Mechanical Engineering
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Engineering - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
So much gas was released that some was sucked back into the engine rooms through ventilation shafts, triggering gas detector alarms.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
It’s a process called AEO – or answer engine optimization.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Often dubbed "Russia's Google", the firm runs the country's most popular search engine, as well as a food-ordering and taxi application used by tens of millions of people across the Russian-speaking world.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
"The engine of the show is the music," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“IT’S A NIGHTMARE,” Alex groaned, keying in Travel Agents in the Internet search engine.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
These search engines and chatbots could help you place a price on items you are trying to discard.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Owner-operator Deol uses battery-powered electric air conditioning systems installed on both his trucks so he can turn off the engines and avoid idling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
With global demand for electric vehicles slowing, Leiters said Porsche would continue to invest in internal combustion engines and plug-in hybrids.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Naturally aspirated engines would also be extremely loud - which would put at risk races such as Miami and Las Vegas close to or in population centres.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
In later times, coal and oil would drive the great engines of American progress.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
