EXTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does external-combustion engine mean? 

• EXTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE (noun)
  The noun EXTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE has 1 sense:

1. a heat engine in which ignition occurs outside the chamber (cylinder or turbine) in which heat is converted to mechanical energy

  Familiarity information: EXTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A heat engine in which ignition occurs outside the chamber (cylinder or turbine) in which heat is converted to mechanical energy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("external-combustion engine" is a kind of...):

heat engine (any engine that makes use of heat to do work)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "external-combustion engine"):

steam engine (external-combustion engine in which heat is used to raise steam which either turns a turbine or forces a piston to move up and down in a cylinder)