rocket engine

American  

noun

1. a reaction engine that produces a thrust due to an exhaust consisting entirely of material, as oxidizer, fuel, and inert matter, that has been carried with the engine in the vehicle it propels, none of the propellant being derived from the medium through which the vehicle moves.

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rocket engine British  

noun

1. Also called: rocket motor. a reaction engine in which a fuel and oxidizer are burnt in a combustion chamber, the products of combustion expanding through a nozzle and producing thrust

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rocket engine Scientific  

1. An engine used to produce a jet of hot gases to propel a rocket. The jet is produced by combustion of a fuel with other chemicals stored in the rocket. Since they do not rely on the oxygen in the atmosphere for combustion, rocket engines can operate in space.

2. Compare turbojet

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Etymology

Origin of rocket engine

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rocket engine

He compared Parallax’s plans for “parts consolidation” with SpaceX’s approach to the rocket engine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Because GRCop-42 has high thermal conductivity while maintaining its strength at extreme temperatures, it is used in aerospace systems, including liquid rocket engine combustion chambers.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the ground test of an upgraded rocket engine, state media reported on Sunday, marking another key step in its weapons programme.

From Barron's ● Mar. 29, 2026

Karman has developed a cooling system similar to the heat pumps in the average home, except its pumps use liquid carbon dioxide as refrigerant, which is circulated using rocket engine technology rather than fans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026

The worst case was the deceleration an astronaut would feel if his rocket engine quit before he reached orbit, causing him to plunge back down into the atmosphere.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins