internal combustion engine

noun

: a heat engine in which the combustion that generates the heat takes place inside the engine proper instead of in a furnace

Examples of internal combustion engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The moves are in direct conflict with U.S. and global climate policies, which aim to rapidly phase out the internal combustion engine and shift power grids worldwide to zero emissions energy. Evan Halper, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2023 Lee says the Arc One weighs about 6,500 pounds, only about 1,500 more pounds than some comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) models. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Oct. 2023 In order to stick to that 1.5 degree threshold, by 2030, large cities will have phased out internal combustion engine vehicles. Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 29 Sep. 2023 Electric vehicles have outpaced growth of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars in recent years. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 28 Sep. 2023 Automakers have made electric vehicles central to their business strategies and are openly talking about an expiration date on the internal combustion engine. New York Times, 17 Aug. 2023 China has surpassed the United States in the manufacture of electric vehicles, whose mechanisms will eventually replace the internal combustion engine worldwide. Win McCormack, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2023 Aside from the low tax, what makes Europe attractive is the bloc’s decision to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2035. Laura He, CNN, 7 Sep. 2023 But this year, Ford is hyping an F-150 variant that might feel like a step back, not forward: the hybrid model with both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which only takes over for certain features and under certain driving conditions. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'internal combustion engine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of internal combustion engine was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near internal combustion engine

Cite this Entry

“Internal combustion engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal%20combustion%20engine. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

internal combustion engine

noun
: an engine in which the fuel is ignited within the engine cylinder instead of in an external furnace
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