horsepower

noun

horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯrs-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce horsepower (audio)
1
: the power that a horse exerts in pulling
2
: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to the English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second
3
: effective power
intellectual horsepower
computing horsepower

Examples of horsepower in a Sentence

an engine with 200 horsepower that architectural firm probably doesn't have the creative horsepower to produce a truly innovative design
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The standard hybrid drivetrain offers 245 horsepower and over 250 pound-feet of torque. Karl Brauer, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 The Range Rover weighs nearly twice as much, has 395 horsepower and a British legacy dating to 1970. James Raia, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024 The Vitamix Propel 750 is almost exactly the same as the Professional Series 750: Both have the same horsepower, same number of blending speeds, and same number of presets, the only difference being that the Propel trades the Professional’s purée setting for dips/spreads. Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 9 Oct. 2024 Or, if neither was enough, there was the S65 AMG of 2005, which made a whopping 604 horsepower. Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for horsepower 

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of horsepower was in 1806

Dictionary Entries Near horsepower

Cite this Entry

“Horsepower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horsepower. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

horsepower

noun
horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯr-ˌspau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce horsepower (audio)
: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equal to the English unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second

More from Merriam-Webster on horsepower

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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