turbo

¹ American

[tur-boh] / ˈtɜr boʊ /

noun

plural

turbos

turbine.
Informal. turbocharger.
an automobile powered by an internal-combustion engine equipped with a turbocharger.

turbo- ² American

a combining form representing turbine in compound words.

turbojet.

turbo- British

combining form

of, relating to, or driven by a turbine

turbofan

"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

Etymology

Origin of turbo¹

1655–65, in sense “tornado”; 1900–05 turbo for def. 1; in part < Latin turbō top, whirlwind, in part by shortening of turbocharged ( def. ) or turbocharger

Origin of turbo-²

turb(ine) + -o-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A turbo engine is not only arguably more road-relevant, but is also more efficient than a naturally aspirated one, which means less fuel, even if turbos and their associated architecture are heavy and complicated.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

The flip side is a whole generation of fans have become involved in F1 since turbo hybrids were introduced in 2014.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

“Every single rep between the blue lines,” said Jim Hughes, “is a turbo rep.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

And while it has made overtaking more common, the turbo button has also diminished the difficulty of passing in the eyes of purists.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

A whirring sound starts—like some kind of turbo jet engine—and rises to a fever pitch.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023