self-propelled

[ self-pruh-peld, self- ]

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.

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

Origin of self-propelled

1
First recorded in 1895–1900
  • Sometimes self-pro·pel·ling .

Words Nearby self-propelled

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use self-propelled in a sentence

  • self-propelled caterpillar gun mounts were the subject of the most important of these experiments.

British Dictionary definitions for self-propelled

self-propelled

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

Derived forms of self-propelled

  • self-propelling, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012