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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Hyundai Motor sells over 4M internal combustion engine heavy trucks globally on an annual basis, the company is not active in the U.S. ICE market. Richard Bishop, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Propulsion is courtesy of a pair of electric nacelles set on the V-tail empennage, with low-tip-speed propellers powered by an internal combustion engine turning a generator that feeds a battery. New Atlas, 13 Feb. 2025 What creates power in an internal combustion engine? David Knutson, Twin Cities, 3 Feb. 2025 California’s Long-Term Policy Goals Finally, the state’s aggressive push to ban the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035 creates a chilling effect on long-term investment in fuel infrastructure. Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for internal combustion engine

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Internal combustion engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal%20combustion%20engine. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

internal combustion engine

noun
: an engine in which the fuel is ignited within the engine cylinder instead of in an external furnace
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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