jet engine

noun

: an engine that produces motion as a result of the rearward discharge of a jet of fluid

specifically : an airplane engine that uses atmospheric oxygen to burn fuel and produces a rearward discharge of heated air and exhaust gases see airplane illustration

Examples of jet engine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

First, in form, there is no passive approach to finding, overhauling and selling a jet engine, for example. —Mike Terwilliger, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025

Such restrictions would be placed on items ranging from laptops to jet engines and would serve as a way to push back on China's rare earth export restrictions, according to the sources. —Sean Conlon,pia Singh, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025

Beyond medical uses The team also equipped the robot with a tiny camera, enabling it to inspect hard-to-reach spots inside the jet engine model. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025

The floor buffers come out, whining like jet engines in the hallways, erasing over a month’s worth of shoe scuffs that made the place look like the dasher boards at the hockey rink. —Mark Glende, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1933, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

jet engine

noun

: an engine that produces motion as a result of the rearward discharge of a jet of fluid

especially : an aircraft engine that uses atmospheric oxygen to burn fuel and produces a rearward discharge of heated air and exhaust gases