self-propelled

American  

[self-pruh-peld, self-] / ˈsɛlf prəˈpɛld, ˌsɛlf- /

Sometimes self-propelling

adjective

1. propelled by itself.

2. (of a vehicle) propelled by its own engine, motor, or the like, rather than drawn or pushed by a horse, locomotive, etc.

3. (of a gun or a rocket launcher) having a vehicle as a base.

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self-propelled British  

adjective

1. (of a vehicle) provided with its own source of tractive power rather than requiring an external means of propulsion

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Other Word Forms

• self-propelling adjective

Etymology

Origin of self-propelled

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

According to the researchers, these spinning crystals represent the first known example of a self-propelled metallic nanoparticle in biology.

From Science Daily

But instead of dismantling it, engineers are moving it in one piece, supported by steel beams and carried on self-propelled modular transporters.

From BBC

It's a French made self-propelled artillery gun called the "Caesar".

From BBC

To the layman, a self-propelled howitzer looks like a tank, but it has a bigger, 155mm gun to fire at longer range.

From Salon

But as delightful as many of those pieces are, as paintings, none quite has the self-propelled perfection of Hakuin’s “Giant Daruma.”

From New York Times