electric locomotive
1
3.9
- noun
- /ɪˈlɛktrɪk ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
:
locomotora eléctrica
- At the same time, though, a high-voltage power line makes some people nervous, although it has been used in some places, including some electric locomotives and MU cars in the US, though usually at lower voltages than what the Acela runs on.
- diesel/electric locomotives
Examples
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The train smoothly pulled away from the station thanks to the powerful electric locomotive at the front.
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Davenport's solution was the electric locomotive.
Academic text (2000) -
I say that if you can build and maintain a diesel-electric locomotive, you can probably do the same for a wind turbine.
Blog text (32) -
Power was supplied from a stationary battery to the moving electric locomotive, using the rails as conductors for the electricity.
Academic text (2000) -
Both passenger-car and freight shuttles are hauled by electric locomotives built by Brush Traction Ltd. of Loughborough, U.K., and ABB Transportation Systems A.G. of Switzerland.
Academic text (1993) -
During the tour, I learned that the electric locomotive receives power from overhead wires to operate.
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Many modern trains are now driven by an electric locomotive because they produce less pollution than diesel engines.
How Powerful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'electric' (powered by electricity) with 'locomotive' (a railway vehicle that pulls trains). This follows a standard adjective + noun compositional pattern found across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Electric locomotive comes from a simple image: electric means it uses power from wires or a rail and locomotive is the engine that moves a train. So, imagine a heavy engine taking power from overhead wires and pulling cars quietly with no smoke, which is why the phrase means 'a railway locomotive powered by electricity'.