combustion engine

noun

: an engine that derives its motive force from the energy of combustion

Examples of combustion engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces noise, with ships using the combustion engine for longer distances and the electric motor for low-speed maneuvering. — Indrabati Lahiri, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Sport mode sits closer to the 21C’s natural operating balance, engaging both the combustion engine and electric systems for full output while firming up the damping and sharpening responses. — Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026

Today, China is the world's leading auto manufacturer, with 100 or so companies producing an extensive range of fully electric, hybrid and internal-combustion engine vehicles. — Bob Woods, CNBC, 6 June 2026

Yang suspects that the same reactions that take place in a combustion engine could be occurring naturally within certain mini-Neptunes, producing PAHS that amalgamate as clouds of soot that then rise higher into the atmosphere, perhaps driven upwards by thermal convection currents. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above