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

The blast from the jet engines of a Boeing 737 sent a small plane with a flight instructor and student inside rolling onto its roof this weekend, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2026

Imagine being able to test how a jet engine will perform under extreme temperatures, identify when a factory machine might fail, or see how a building will respond to changing weather conditions without physically experimenting on any of them. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026

Cramer sees the weakness as a buying opportunity, pointing to robust demand for the company's jet engines. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s latest startup Prometheus is using AI to assist engineers in the design and manufacturing of a range of devices—from computers to automobiles to jet engines. — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

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