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Glite Dictionary
squirrel-cage motor

squirrel-cage motor

7.5
An electric motor with a round metal turning part shaped like a cage
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : motor de jaula de ardilla
  • The engineer explained how the squirrel-cage motor operates without electrical connections to the rotor.

Examples

  • A squirrel-cage motor is commonly used in industrial applications for its durability and reliability.

  • The factory installed a new squirrel-cage motor to improve energy efficiency.

  • The squirrel-cage motor is widely used in industrial applications.

  • Many engineers prefer squirrel-cage motors for their efficiency.

  • A squirrel-cage motor is often used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems due to its efficiency.

  • In manufacturing, a squirrel-cage motor powers various conveyor belts and machinery.

  • The maintenance team decided to replace the old motor with a new squirrel-cage motor to enhance performance.

Surface Forms

squirrel-cage motor singular
squirrel-cage motors plural

Morphology

squirrel-cage + motor

A B1 learner who knows 'squirrel', 'cage' and 'motor' can plausibly infer this refers to a type of motor characterized by a cage-like (squirrel-cage) rotor, so there is a clear compositional cue. However the term denotes a specific technical rotor design used in induction motors, a level of specialized meaning that is not fully predictable from the constituents alone.

Etymology

Squirrel-cage motor The noun squirrel-cage motor comes from the spinning part, the 'rotor', which looks like a small wire cage that a squirrel might run in. Because the metal bars make that 'cage' and the motor runs without wires to the spinning part, the name now means this common type of electric motor.