diesel-electric

adjective

die·​sel-elec·​tric ˈdē-zəl- i-ˈlek-trik 

-səl-, 

-ē-ˈlek-

: of, relating to, or employing a diesel engine for driving an electric generator or for charging batteries

a diesel-electric locomotive

diesel-electric submarines

Examples of diesel-electric in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More than four years in the making, the 243-footer shares the same technical foundations—steel hull, aluminum superstructure, and hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system—as the inaugural hull the Italian yard launched last October, but has been radically personalized by the owner. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026

Dedicated to providing the best rider experience and maintaining the system’s integrity, Tri-Rail has ordered seven advanced Charger diesel-electric locomotives from Siemens Mobility. —Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026

Naval engineers solved this challenge more than a century ago by separating power generation from underwater propulsion, creating the modern diesel-electric submarine system that remains widely used today. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026

The yacht boasts a diesel-electric propulsion system paired with battery storage that allows for extended periods of silent, emission-free operation. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for diesel-electric

• bioelectric
• ferroelectric
• hydroelectric
• isoelectric
• photoelectric
• pyroelectric
• thermoelectric
• dielectric
• electric
• nonelectric
• piezoelectric