INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE

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

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

1. a heat engine in which combustion occurs inside the engine rather than in a separate furnace; heat expands a gas that either moves a piston or turns a gas turbine

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A heat engine in which combustion occurs inside the engine rather than in a separate furnace; heat expands a gas that either moves a piston or turns a gas turbine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

ICE; internal-combustion engine

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

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

Meronyms (parts of "internal-combustion engine"):

block; cylinder block; engine block (a metal casting containing the cylinders and cooling ducts of an engine)

supercharger (compressor that forces increased oxygen into the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine)

self-starter (an electric starting motor that automatically starts an internal-combustion engine)

poppet; poppet valve (a mushroom-shaped valve that rises perpendicularly from its seat; commonly used in internal-combustion engines)

force-feed lubricating system; force feed; lubricating system; pressure-feed lubricating system; pressure feed (mechanical system of lubricating internal combustion engines in which a pump forces oil into the engine bearings)

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

diesel; diesel engine; diesel motor (an internal-combustion engine that burns heavy oil)

four-stroke engine; four-stroke internal-combustion engine (an internal-combustion engine in which an explosive mixture is drawn into the cylinder on the first stroke and is compressed and ignited on the second stroke; work is done on the third stroke and the products of combustion are exhausted on the fourth stroke)

gas engine (an internal-combustion engine similar to a gasoline engine but using natural gas instead of gasoline vapor)

gasoline engine; petrol engine (an internal-combustion engine that burns gasoline; most automobiles are driven by gasoline engines)

outboard; outboard motor (internal-combustion engine that mounts at stern of small boat)

radial engine; rotary engine (an internal-combustion engine having cylinders arranged radially around a central crankcase)

reciprocating engine (an internal-combustion engine in which the crankshaft is turned by pistons moving up and down in cylinders)

rotary engine (an internal-combustion engine in which power is transmitted directly to rotating components)

valve-in-head engine (internal-combustion engine having both inlet and exhaust valves located in the cylinder head)

Holonyms ("internal-combustion engine" is a part of...):

motorboat; powerboat (a boat propelled by an internal-combustion engine)

automotive vehicle; motor vehicle (a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not run on rails)