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Glite Dictionary
starting motor

starting motor

3.7
A small electric motor in a car that turns the engine to start it
  • noun
  • /ˈstɑrtɪŋ ˈmoʊtər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : motor de arranque
  • After several attempts, the vehicle finally roared to life thanks to a new starting motor.

Examples

  • The technician replaced the faulty starting motor to ensure the car would start reliably.

  • They are designed to handle the inrush of current that a starting motor demands without tripping thermal overload protection, while still providing that protection if the motor stalls or short circuits.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The Porsche's starting motor drones; the cold engine almost catches, then dies.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • A well-functioning starting motor is essential for getting an engine running smoothly on cold mornings.

Synonyms

starter
vsstarting motor
34 3.5

A device that makes a car or machine engine start

is only the electric motor that turns the crankshaft until the engine runs
starter motor
vsstarting motor
  • Specialized
1 4.0

An electric motor that turns a car engine to start it

is the electric motor for any internal combustion engine, not only vehicles
self-starter
vsstarting motor
  • Archaic
6.1

A motor that starts an engine by itself

is the electric motor that turns the crankshaft but may not start automatically

Surface Forms

starting motor singular
starting motors plural

Morphology

starting + motor

The meaning is compositional: 'starting' (used to begin or initiate) modifies 'motor' (a device producing motion), so an electric motor used to start an engine is directly inferable. Although somewhat technical, this modifier-noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words should understand it.

Etymology

Starting motor is a name for a small electric motor that gives the first push to a car's engine to 'start' it. So the word starting explains its job: the motor's purpose is 'to start' the engine.