horsepower
Americannoun
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a foot-pound-second unit of power, equivalent to 550 foot-pounds per second, or 745.7 watts.
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Informal. the capacity to achieve or produce; strength or talent.
The university's history faculty is noted for its intellectual horsepower.
noun
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an fps unit of power, equal to 550 foot-pounds per second (equivalent to 745.7 watts)
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a US standard unit of power, equal to 746 watts
Discover More
The horsepower is used to measure the power of engines.
This term was coined by James Watt, who invented a new type of steam engine in the eighteenth century. Watt found that the horse could do a certain amount of work per second; when he sold his steam engines, this measurement allowed him to estimate the worth of an engine in terms of the number of horses it would replace. Therefore, a six-horsepower engine was capable of replacing six horses.
Etymology
Origin of horsepower
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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.
The vehicle is a hybrid convertible powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 and an electric motor, producing a combined 819 horsepower.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
“Street legal 250s helped pay the racing bills,” the museum says on one of the informative plaques that identify each model with engine, top speed and horsepower, as well as other interesting details.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
The bike’s 1103 cubic-centimeter V-4 engine makes 214 horsepower, and I have an aftermarket racing exhaust system that ups that about another 10.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025
The Elettrica boasts 1,000 horsepower and a range of at least 329 miles, but its success hinges on appealing to traditional Ferrari enthusiasts.
From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025
Marine engines have more horsepower, so it takes more strength to turn the flywheel.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
