glow plug
noun
: a heating element in a diesel-engine cylinder to preheat the air and facilitate starting
also
: a similar element for ignition in other internal combustion engines
Examples of glow plug in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The engine starts quickly (after a 10-second pause spent waiting for the glow plugs to warm the prechambers) but clatters like a big rig.
—
Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2023
Thanks to active thermal management and ceramic glow plugs, an engine block heater is not needed until minus-22 degrees F, Chevy said.
—Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, 2 July 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2023
Thanks to active thermal management and ceramic glow plugs, an engine block heater is not needed until minus-22 degrees F, Chevy said.
—Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, 2 July 2019
Cite this Entry
“Glow plug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glow%20plug. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share