jet engine

American  

noun

1. an engine, as an aircraft engine, that produces forward motion by the rearward exhaust of a jet of fluid or heated air and gases.

---

jet engine British  

noun

1. a gas turbine, esp one fitted to an aircraft

---

jet engine Scientific  

1. An engine, generally a gas turbine, that develops thrust from a jet of hot gases produced by burning fuel in a combustion chamber.

---

Etymology

Origin of jet engine

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Reaching Mach 5 involves the use of a so-called ramjet, which is similar to a traditional jet engine but doesn’t have any moving parts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

For one, if even more jet engine parts get diverted to produce power turbines, that could worsen the shortage in the jet-engine market, which is already very tight.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

It consists of a large jet engine placed on top of a tube the length of a London bus.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

Maybe other jet engine makers like GE Aerospace, Safran, Rolls-Royce, or RTX could find some new business with AI hyperscalers.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

The wave itself roars like a jet engine.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland