steam engine

noun

: an engine driven or worked by steam
specifically : a reciprocating engine having a piston driven in a closed cylinder by steam

Examples of steam engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Little River Railroad travels through southwest Michigan The Little River Railroad, in Coldwater, lets passengers ride the rails on an authentic 100-year steam engine train. Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 25 Nov. 2024 The reality is that crypto is a general-purpose technology (GPT), much like the steam engine, electricity, and the internet before it—each of which took years to weave their transformative impact through the fabric of the economy. Christian Catalini, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 During the Industrial Revolution, machine manufacturing and steam engines enabled mechanized warfare and the production of mass arsenals. Jacquelyn Schneider, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2023 The car aficionado and star of Jay Leno's Garage was working on a steam engine underneath a car in his garage when the blaze broke out. Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for steam engine 

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steam engine was in 1751

Dictionary Entries Near steam engine

Cite this Entry

“Steam engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steam%20engine. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

steam engine

noun
: an engine driven by steam

More from Merriam-Webster on steam engine

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