cylinder

noun

cyl·in·der | \ ˈsi-lən-dər

Definition of cylinder

1a : the surface traced by a straight line moving parallel to a fixed straight line and intersecting a fixed planar closed curve

b : a solid or surface bounded by a cylinder and two parallel planes cutting all its elements especially : right circular cylinder — see Volume Formulas Table

2 : a cylindrical body or space: such as

a : the turning chambered breech of a revolver

b(1) : the piston chamber in an engine

(2) : a chamber in a pump from which the piston expels the fluid

c : any of various rotating members in a press (such as a printing press) especially : one that impresses paper on an inked form

d : a cylindrical clay object inscribed with cuneiform inscriptions

on all cylinders

: with maximum effort or intensity : at full capacity or speed the economy is running on all cylinders

Other Words from cylinder More Example Sentences Learn More about cylinder

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of cylinder in a Sentence

the cylinder of a revolver

Recent Examples on the Web

The default engine configuration is the aforementioned 1.5L DOHC 16-valve, four-cylinder turbo capable of 170hp (127kW) and 203lb-ft (275Nm) of torque. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Review: GMC Terrain gives you the ride you want—at a price," 23 Dec. 2018 Power flows through it from a 125 hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder, which doesn’t sound impressive, but since the Kicks is by far the lightest vehicle in its class, is more than adequate. — Gary Gastelu, Fox News, "2018 Nissan Kicks Test Drive: It shouldn't be good, but it is," 28 Sep. 2018 What this means to you: Anderson's departure adds some uncertainty to AMD’s future, after a year or two in which the company was firing on all cylinders. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "AMD loses another key executive, Jim Anderson, as it shifts manufacturing to TSMC," 27 Aug. 2018 It is built on the same underpinnings as the Chevrolet Malibu sedan, with a Cadillac 2.0L Turbo four-cylinder, 237-horsepower engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission. — Hannah Elliott, Bloomberg.com, "Cadillac’s New XT4 Chases Small SUV Stars From Audi, BMW, Porsche," 27 Mar. 2018 The 72-by-29-inch Ultra Long folds or rolls into a 14-inch-long cylinder. — Judi Dash, latimes.com, "This gear makes your world go round, flat, darker and spacier," 2 July 2018 Before the final touchdown scheduled for April-May, Hayabusa2 will send out a squat cylinder that will detonate above the asteroid, shooting a 2-kilogram (4.4-pound) copper projectile into it at high speed to make a crater. — Washington Post, "Japan space explorer arrives at asteroid to collect samples," 26 June 2018 The 72-by-29-inch and 2mm-thick Travel Yoga Mat Long is made of biodegradable tree rubber and rolls into a 14-inch-long cylinder, weighing 3.6 pounds. — Judi Dash, Philly.com, "Gadget Guru: YOGO Travel Yoga and Exercise Mats," 18 May 2018 Further Reading Up close and personal with Scuderia Corsa’s Ferrari 488 GT3 race car Like their road cousins, they sport engine configurations from V10s, V8s, and V6s to horizontally opposed six-cylinders. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Open mind, wide open throttle: We go to our first NASCAR race," 15 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cylinder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.