Stirling engine

American  

noun

1. an external-combustion engine in which heat from outside the cylinders causes air confined in the cylinders to expand and drive the pistons.

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Stirling engine British  

noun

1. an external-combustion engine that uses air or an inert gas as the working fluid operating on a highly efficient thermodynamic cycle (the Stirling cycle )

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Etymology

Origin of Stirling engine

1895–1900; after Robert Stirling (died 1878), Scottish engineer

Example Sentences

The device is based on a Stirling engine, a type of machine designed to convert heat into mechanical motion.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

In a typical setup, one side of a Stirling engine is kept warm while the other side is cooled.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

And there will be stunning array of electrical and mechanical engineering, from the world's oldest Stirling engine to the tip of a modern wind-turbine blade.

From Nature • Jun. 28, 2016

The machine — which can generate 10 kilowatts of continuous power, fed by Crane’s natural gas line — is a new iteration of an old creation, the Stirling engine.

From Forbes • Jul. 2, 2014

Engineers point out that a Stirling engine would be quieter than an equivalent internal combustion engine, would emit less noxious fumes, and would use fuel more economically.

From Time Magazine Archive