diesel

noun

die·​sel ˈdē-zəl 

-səl

1

: diesel engine

2

: a vehicle driven by a diesel engine

3

: diesel fuel

Examples of diesel in a Sentence

Does your car take diesel or gasoline?

Recent Examples on the Web

That could give operators an alternative to conventional diesel generators for backup and off-grid power, while avoiding direct combustion emissions. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026

And outside of the capital, reports of diesel and gas shortages in Mazandaran province and Fars province have emerged on social media. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

The cost of doing that is in the millions, and the rising cost of diesel has not helped over the course of the past year. — Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

The program’s original vision was to send the orange bags filled with the unrecyclable plastics to Salt Lake City, where they would be turned into diesel, according to previous Statesman reporting. — Idaho Statesman, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Rudolf Diesel

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing diesel

• diesel-electric
• diesel engine
• diesel fuel

Rhymes for diesel

• pedicel

Kids Definition

diesel

noun

die·​sel ˈdē-zəl 

-səl

1

: diesel engine

2

: a vehicle (as a truck or train) driven by a diesel engine

3

: a fuel designed for use in diesel engines

Etymology

named for Rudolf Diesel 1858–1913 German engineer

Biographical Definition

Diesel

biographical name

Die·​sel ˈdē-zəl 

-səl

Rudolf 1858–1913 German mechanical engineer