Wankel engine

noun

Wan·​kel engine ˈväŋ-kəl- How to pronounce Wankel engine (audio) ˈwaŋ- How to pronounce Wankel engine (audio)
: an internal combustion rotary engine that has a rounded triangular rotor functioning as a piston and rotating in a space in the engine and that has only two major moving parts

Word History

Etymology

Felix Wankel †1988 German engineer

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wankel engine was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near Wankel engine

Cite this Entry

“Wankel engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wankel%20engine. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

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