locomotive

adjective lo·co·mo·tive \ ˌlō-kə-ˈmō-tiv \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of locomotive

1 : locomotory

2 : of or relating to travel

3 : of, relating to, or being a machine that moves about by operation of its own mechanism

See locomotive defined for English-language learners

See locomotive defined for kids

Examples of locomotive in a Sentence

the locomotive ability of spiders

Recent Examples of locomotive from the Web

The locomotive engines jury-rigged to turn the naval vessels into icebreakers get a scene.

— mike hale, New York Times, "Review: ‘The Terror,’ or ‘Alien’ in the Arctic," 25 Mar. 2018
Adkins-Tobin grew up in Erie, Pa., with a father who worked in a locomotive plant and a mother who worked in an aluminum plant.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Two sitting Harford judges being challenged by long-time deputy state's attorney," 23 Mar. 2018
The 47-year-old engineer in the backhoe collision began training as an Amtrak engineer in May 2015 and was promoted to locomotive engineer in June 2015.

— bart jansen, USA TODAY, "What's going on with Amtrak? Few passengers killed on trains, but high-profile crashes spark concerns," 6 Feb. 2018
The men, who were both seriously injured, provided the below information, as announced in a National Transportation Safety Board news release: Amtrak hired the engineer as a conductor in 2004 and promoted him to locomotive engineer in 2013.

— jim ryan, OregonLive.com, "Amtrak engineer says he misjudged train location in deadly Washington derailment," 25 Jan. 2018
Related: Washington state Amtrak derailment damage topped $40M, NTSB says The engineer was hired by Amtrak as a conductor in 2004 and was promoted to locomotive engineer in 2013, and had qualified on the route, the NTSB said.

— phil helsel, NBC News, "Engineer in deadly Amtrak crash mistook signal ahead of curve," 25 Jan. 2018
His guitarist sibling Jake has clearly studied Jimmy Page’s locomotive riffs, and the song’s vaguely medieval imagery resembles Zep’s Middle Earth rockery.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks," 13 Dec. 2017
Ralph Rapa is a locomotive engineer for Tri-Rail who oversees operating practices, including rules on safety.

— lisa j. huriash, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Deaths on train tracks on the rise in South Florida," 19 Dec. 2017
Below are five train trips across North America that will turn even the biggest locomotive skeptic into a covert Thomas the Tank Engine fan.

— sarah baird, GQ, "Train Trips Are the Chillest Way to See the Country," 30 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'locomotive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of locomotive

1612

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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locomotive

noun

Definition of locomotive

1 : a self-propelled vehicle that runs on rails and is used for moving railroad cars

2 : a school or college cheer characterized by a slow beginning and a progressive increase in speed

See locomotive defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of locomotive from the Web

Train operators aren’t required to have a driver’s license, and driving a 144-ton locomotive on fixed tracks is a very different discipline than driving a car.

— andrea estes, BostonGlobe.com, "A rail safety system gone badly off track," 14 Apr. 2018
The locomotive was moved to Broad Ripple Park and remained at the entrance until 1983 when it was moved to Amtrak’s Beech Grove Shop for restoration.

— dawn mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "Broad Ripple Park: 'Nature’s Gift to the Amusement World'," 13 Apr. 2018
GE Transportation, which makes diesel freight locomotives, could be a model for how other parts of the business could be spun off or taken public rather than sold as a whole, according to people familiar with the strategy.

— grace donnelly, Fortune, "GE Considers a Spinoff or Public Offering for its Transportation Business," 12 Apr. 2018
Every couple of hours, the awnings are retracted, the metal tables are rolled back, and a giant locomotive crawls through, parting the souk like Moses at the Red Sea.

— New York Times, "Taking to the River in Thailand," 10 Apr. 2018
The last locomotive was rerailed about 10:45 a.m. and Pan Am crews then went to work repairing the tracks, officials said.

— david owens, courant.com, "New Britain Mayor Asks Pan Am Railways How It Will Prevent Further Derailments," 5 Apr. 2018
Jairus Lyles, the locomotive powering everything, capable of dropping 28 points against the best defense in the country.

— brendan marks, baltimoresun.com, "With NCAA tournament win over Virginia in rear view, UMBC out for more in Round of 32," 17 Mar. 2018
Like a great locomotive, Nagasu began picking up speed the moment her music began, uncorking the same vexing 3½-rotation jump on which Chan fell an hour earlier.

— dave skretta, The Seattle Times, "Nagasu, Rippon help lead Americans to figure skating bronze," 11 Feb. 2018
Union Pacific uses American steel in its railroad cars, locomotives and some of its tracks.

— ana swanson, New York Times, "‘It’s Factory North America,’ but Trump Could Hobble It," 30 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of locomotive

1829

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

LOCOMOTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

locomotive

adjective

Definition of locomotive for English Language Learners

: of or relating to movement from place to place : of or relating to locomotion

locomotive

noun

Definition of locomotive for English Language Learners

: the vehicle that produces the power that pulls a train

LOCOMOTIVE Defined for Kids

locomotive

noun lo·co·mo·tive \ ˌlō-kə-ˈmō-tiv \

Definition of locomotive for Students

: a vehicle that moves under its own power and is used to haul cars on a railroad

Medical Dictionary

locomotive

adjective lo·co·mo·tive \ ˌlō-kə-ˈmōt-iv \

medical Definition of locomotive

: locomotor 1

locomotive organs include flagella, cilia, pseudopodia, and limbs

Learn More about locomotive

See words that rhyme with locomotive Spanish Central: Translation of locomotive Nglish: Translation of locomotive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of locomotive for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about locomotive

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locomotive

Definition of locomotive

Examples of locomotive in a Sentence

Recent Examples of locomotive from the Web

First Known Use of locomotive

locomotive

Definition of locomotive

Recent Examples of locomotive from the Web

First Known Use of locomotive

LOCOMOTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

locomotive

Definition of locomotive for English Language Learners

locomotive

Definition of locomotive for English Language Learners

LOCOMOTIVE Defined for Kids

locomotive

Definition of locomotive for Students

Medical Dictionary

locomotive

medical Definition of locomotive

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