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

In 2023, Qatar sold around a dozen self-propelled antiaircraft guns called Gepards back to Germany, where they were made.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

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 • Aug. 18, 2025

Israel’s main artillery weapons are its 600 Paladin M109A5 155mm self-propelled howitzers, which are manufactured by BAE Systems in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

From Salon • May 19, 2024

A bathyscaphe is a self-propelled submersible used in deep-sea dives.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 20, 2023

Thus the telpher is a self-propelled electric carrier running on a mono-rail, which, according to the conditions, may be a steel rail or a steel cable.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 3 "Convention" to "Copyright" by Various