Standard Lemma guide

preignition

noun · 1 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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  • CMU ARPABET: P R IY2 AH0 G N IH1 SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The premature detonation of a fuel charge in Four-stroke cycle engines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh2- Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *préh2i? Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae-lbor. Middle English pre- English pre- Latin ignītiōlbor. English ignition English preignition From pre- + ignition.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: aikainen sytytys — premature detonation in four-stroke cycle engines
  • French: autoallumage — premature detonation in four-stroke cycle engines
  • Greek: προανάφλεξη (proanáflexi) — premature detonation in four-stroke cycle engines
  • Italian: preaccensione — premature detonation in four-stroke cycle engines