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internal combustion engine
noun
: a heat engine in which the combustion that generates the heat takes place inside the engine proper instead of in a furnace
Examples of internal combustion engine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meet your new virtual assistant: The AI in your car
Q: Talk about the challenges of designing a car that can be sold with an internal combustion engine and an electric battery.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2024
Honda’s hybrid powertrain has had two motors for several generations, both of which sit adjacent to the internal combustion engine.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 17 Dec. 2024
Four-door versions and internal combustion engine versions will follow next year, all on the same new STLA Large platform.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
With the motor backing up the internal combustion engine, the e-motor enables the system to turn off all eight cylinders and hitch a ride on the electric side.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 11 Dec. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of internal combustion engine was
in 1884
Dictionary Entries Near internal combustion engine
Cite this Entry
“Internal combustion engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal%20combustion%20engine. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
internal combustion engine
noun
: an engine in which the fuel is ignited within the engine cylinder instead of in an external furnace
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