engine

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engine

  • /ˈɛnd͡ʒɪn/ UK, US
  • /ˈɪnd͡ʒɪn/ pin pen merger
  • /ˈɛnd͡ʒən/
  • /ˈend͡ʒɪn/ Australia
  • /ˈend͡ʒən/ Australia
  • /ˈend͡ʒɘn/ New Zealand
  • /ˈɪn.dʒɪn/ India
  • /ˈɪn.dʒən/ India
  • /ɪnˈdʒiːn/ India

Rhymes with -ɛnd͡ʒɪn, (pin–pen merger) -ɪnd͡ʒɪn

Where it comes from

From Middle English engyn, from Anglo-Norman engine, Old French engin (“skill, cleverness, war machine”), from Latin ingenium (“innate or natural quality, nature, genius, a genius, an invention, (in Late Latin) a war-engine, battering-ram”), related to ingignō (“to instil by birth, implant, produce in”). Compare gin, ingenious, engineer.

noun engines

  1. A large construction used in warfare, such as a battering ram, catapult etc. Their warlike Engins and munition Exceed the forces of their martial men.
  2. archaic A tool; a utensil or implement. Flattery must be the most powerful Argument that cou'd be used to Human Creatures. Making use of this bewitching Engine, they extoll'd the Excellency of our Nature above other Animals [...].
  3. A complex mechanical device which converts energy into useful motion or physical effects.

    Similar: drive, motor

  4. A person or group of people which influence a larger group; a driving force. In France, the parliament soon became a mere engine in the hands of a few high-born and ambitious men, who had nothing in common with its interests, which were those of the people.
  5. The part of a car or other vehicle which provides the force for motion, now especially one powered by internal combustion.
  6. A self-powered vehicle used for moving cars along a track.
  7. usually A locomotive.
  8. A software or hardware system responsible for a specific technical task (usually with qualifying word). a graphics engine
  9. obsolete Ingenuity; cunning, trickery, guile.
  10. obsolete The result of cunning; something ingenious, a contrivance; (in negative senses) a plot, a scheme. Therefore this craftie engine he did frame, / Againſt his praiſe to ſtirre vp enmitye [...].
  11. obsolete Natural talent; genius.
  12. Anything used to effect a purpose; any device or contrivance; an agent. [...] their promiſes, entiſements, oathes, tokens, and all theſe engines of luſt [...].

Similar: motor, locomotive

verb engines · engining · engined

  1. dated, transitive To equip with an engine; said especially of steam vessels. Vessels are often built by one firm and engined by another.
  2. obsolete, transitive To assault with an engine. to engine and batter our walls
  3. obsolete, transitive To contrive; to put into action.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: locomotive, locomotive engine, railway locomotive, crankcase, powertrain, lever, piston, towing, truck, rotor, motorized, ftl, motorised, vehicle, driving, car

noun

Similar: motor, locomotive

Translations

Every language

noun mechanical device

Españolmotor
한국어기관 gigwan, 모터 moteo, 엔진 enjin
日本語エンジン enjin, 機関 kikan, 機械 kikai, モーター mōtā, 発動機 hatsudōki, 原動機 kendōki
中文引擎 yǐnqíng, 發動機 /发动机 fādòngjī, 馬達 /马达 mǎdá, 摩托 mótuō
हिन्दीइंजन iñjan, मोटर moṭar
Kiswahiliinjini
Portuguêsmotor
Françaismoteur
DeutschMotor, Triebwerk, Antrieb
Italianomotore
Ελληνικάμηχανή michaní, κινητήρας kinitíras
Românămotor
Русскийдви́гатель dvígatelʹ, мото́р motór
Tiếng Việtđộng cơ
العربيةمُحَرِّك muḥarrik, مُوتُور mūtūr
עבריתמָנוֹעַ manóa

noun influential group

Françaismoteur
DeutschMotor
Italianomotore
Românămotor
Русскийдви́гатель dvígatelʹ

noun software or hardware system responsible for a specific technical task

Españolmotor
日本語エンジン enjin
Portuguêsmotor
Русскийдвижо́к dvižók

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Cite this
MLA

"engine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/engine. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

engine. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/engine

Chicago

"engine." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/engine.

BibTeX
@misc{engine_2026,
  title = {engine},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/engine},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}