Phrase guide

internal combustion

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The process where fuel is burned within an engine such as a diesel engine, producing power directly as opposed to externally such as in a steam engine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the combustion of fuel inside a cylinder (as in an internal-combustion engine)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: combustion, burning

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 內燃 /内燃 (nèirán) — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Finnish: poltto (see polttomoottori) — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Georgian: შიგაწვა (šigac̣va) — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • German: interne Verbrennung — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Greek: εσωτερική καύση (esoterikí káfsi) — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Polish: spalanie wewnętrzne — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Romanian: combustie internă — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Romanian: ardere internă — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Russian: вну́треннее сгора́ние (vnútrenneje sgoránije) — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Spanish: combustión interna — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Tagalog: loob-liyab — process where fuel is burned within an engine
  • Volapük: nifilükam — process where fuel is burned within an engine