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Glite Dictionary
Wankel engine

Wankel engine

8.0
A motor that makes power by a three-sided rotor turning inside an oval chamber
  • noun
  • /ˈwæŋkəl ˈɛnʤɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : motor Wankel
  • Engineers admire the compact and smooth operation of the Wankel engine.

Examples

  • The Wankel engine is known for its compact design.

  • The Mazda RX-7 was famous for using a Wankel engine instead of a traditional piston engine.

  • Although the Wankel engine has certain advantages, it also faces challenges with emissions and fuel economy.

  • Mazda has produced several models with a Wankel engine.

  • The car is powered by a Wankel engine, which is known for its unique rotary design.

  • One advantage of a Wankel engine is its compact size compared to traditional piston engines.

  • The Wankel engine is often praised for its smooth operation and high power-to-weight ratio.

Synonyms

Wankel rotary engine
vsWankel engine
  • Specialized
7.8

A car engine that makes power using a spinning three-sided piece instead of moving pistons

is identical in meaning but includes the inventor's name in the label
epitrochoidal engine
vsWankel engine
  • Specialized
9.9

An engine with a three-sided part that turns in a curved path instead of pistons

describes a triangular rotor turning inside an oval chamber rather than curved rotor motion

Surface Forms

Wankel engine singular
Wankel engines plural

Morphology

Wankel + engine

Wankel is an eponymic proper name that conveys no descriptive information about the rotary triangular-rotor design, and knowing 'engine' only indicates a machine that converts fuel to mechanical energy. Because the specific technical meaning cannot be derived from the parts and depends on domain knowledge, a B1 learner would not be able to infer the sense, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Wankel engine is named after the inventor Felix Wankel and is known for a triangular rotor that turns inside an oval chamber instead of pistons moving up and down. That clear image of a turning triangle is why the name refers to this special, smooth, compact 'type of engine'.