carburetor
UK /ˈkɑːb(j)əˌɹɛtə/ · US /ˈkɑɹb(j)əˌɹeɪtɚ/ noun
Forms carburetors carburetter carburettor carbureter
- noun (US, Canada) A device in an internal combustion engine where fuel is vaporized and mixed with air prior to ignition.
- noun (obsolete) A device for enhancing illuminating gas by mixing in carbon-rich fuel.
- noun (slang, drugs) A water pipe or bong; a device or contrivance for mixing air with burning cannabis or cocaine.
Synonyms
Etymology
Attested from 1862, from carburet (“enrich an illuminating gas with carbon-rich fuel”) + -or. The motor vehicle sense is attested since 1896
Webster’s 1913
- noun An apparatus in which coal gas, hydrogen, or air is passed through or over a volatile hydrocarbon, in order to confer or increase illuminating power. [Written also carburettor.]
- noun One that carburets; specif., an apparatus in which air or gas is carbureted, as by passing it through a light petroleum oil. The carburetor for a gasoline engine is usually either a surface carburetor, or a float, float-feed, or spray, carburetor. In the former air is charged by being passed over the surface of gasoline.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “carburetor”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details