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turbocharger

American  
[tur-boh-chahr-jer] / ˈtɜr boʊˌtʃɑr dʒər /

noun

  1. a supercharger that is driven by a turbine turned by exhaust gases from the engine.


turbocharger British  
/ ˈtɜːbəʊˌtʃɑːdʒə /

noun

  1. a centrifugal compressor which boosts the intake pressure of an internal-combustion engine, driven by an exhaust-gas turbine fitted to the engine's exhaust manifold

"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 turbocharger

First recorded in 1930–35; turbo- + (super)charger

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.

See Examples For:

The 12Cilindri is naturally aspirated, meaning it doesn’t rely on a turbocharger to push air into the cylinders, an old-school approach credited with a more natural, open roar.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 9, 2025

Barnes’ truck spent a week at Banks’ garage, where a new cold air intake, a new exhaust system and a replacement intercooler was installed along with a turbocharger upgrade.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 13, 2021

Both Jetfire and Corvair camps claim their brand was first with the turbocharger, which would seem a Pyrrhic victory.

From New York Times Aug. 26, 2021

Dodge, which has annual sales of $575 million, is one of three businesses put up for disposal on Thursday, along with ABB’s power conversion and turbocharger units.

From Reuters Nov. 19, 2020

With the coronavirus, which Gates has called “the most dramatic thing ever in my lifetime by a lot,” his approach is to inject a turbocharger of money at many different levels.

From Seattle Times May 26, 2020

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