thruster

noun

thrust·​er ˈthrə-stər How to pronounce thruster (audio)
variants or less commonly thrustor
: one that thrusts
especially : an engine (such as a jet engine) that develops thrust by expelling a jet of fluid or a stream of particles

Examples of thruster 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.
That may involve hooking a satellite up to a powerful set of thrusters like the USDV’s; smaller but similar systems could take out medium-sized spacecraft. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2024 The 12-m-long (39-ft) electric catamaran is capable of carrying up to 25 passengers, and is equipped with four thrusters and a 188-kWh battery for up to 15 hours of daily operation at a service speed of 6 knots (7 mph). Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2024 On the other, the agency admitted that a new thruster had failed during its descent. Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 11 Sep. 2024 The delay was caused by issues with BepiColombo’s thrusters. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thruster 

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thruster was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near thruster

Cite this Entry

“Thruster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thruster. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

thruster

noun
thrust·​er ˈthrəs-tər How to pronounce thruster (audio)
: one that thrusts
especially : an engine that produces thrust by discharging a jet of fluid or a stream of particles

More from Merriam-Webster on thruster

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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