noun Common

diesel

DEE-zuhl

Diesel (noun) means a heavy fuel oil used in engines that ignite fuel through compression rather than a spark. Example: “The truck runs on diesel rather than regular petrol.”

noun

A heavy fuel oil used in engines that ignite fuel through compression rather than a spark.

"The truck runs on diesel rather than regular petrol."

A diesel-powered engine or vehicle.

"They traded in the old diesel for a hybrid."

verb

For a petrol engine to keep running briefly after it’s switched off, due to residual heat igniting the fuel.

"The car dieseled for a second after I took the key out."

How to use diesel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA fuel and engine type named after its inventor, ignited by compression rather than a spark plug.

Common pairings

diesel engine diesel fuel run on diesel

Word forms

dieseled past tense, dieselled past tense, diesels singular

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The truck runs on _____ rather than regular petrol.

Etymology

Named after Rudolf Diesel, the German engineer who developed the compression-ignition engine in the 1890s.

Origin: German · First attested 1890

Class of 1890 diesel joined the language around 1890.

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Synonyms

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derv diesel oil

Related words

derv

Frequently asked questions

What does “diesel” mean?

The word “diesel” means a heavy fuel oil used in engines that ignite fuel through compression rather than a spark. In plain terms, a fuel and engine type named after its inventor, ignited by compression rather than a spark plug.

How do you pronounce “diesel”?

“Diesel” is pronounced DEE-zuhl (/ˈdisəl/ in IPA).

How do you use “diesel” in a sentence?

Here is “diesel” used in a sentence: “The truck runs on diesel rather than regular petrol.”

What part of speech is “diesel”?

Depending on how it is used, “diesel” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “diesel” come from?

The word “diesel” dates back to around 1890 and comes from German. Named after Rudolf Diesel, the German engineer who developed the compression-ignition engine in the 1890s.

Is “diesel” a common word?

“Diesel” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “diesel” have?

“Diesel” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a heavy fuel oil used in engines that ignite fuel through compression rather than a spark.

What is the difference between diesel and petrol?

Diesel is a heavier fuel oil burned in engines that ignite the fuel by compression alone, whereas petrol engines ignite their fuel with a spark. Because the fuels and ignition systems differ, each fuel must only be used in the type of engine designed for it.

Can diesel refer to a vehicle as well as a fuel?

Yes. As well as naming the fuel, diesel can mean a diesel-powered engine or vehicle, so you can say someone "drives a diesel." The plural form diesels is common, as in "most of the taxis are diesels."

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Vocabulary lists that include diesel:

Words with German origins Words that end with L

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