noun
piston
PIHS-tuhn
noun
1
A cylindrical part that slides back and forth inside a tube, used to compress fluid or transmit motion in an engine or pump.
"A worn piston can cause the engine to lose power."
2
A valve mechanism used in some brass instruments to change pitch.
"The trumpeter pressed the pistons in quick succession."
How to Use Piston
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe moving cylindrical part inside an engine, or a valve on certain brass instruments.
Common pairings
piston engine
piston rings
trumpet piston
Word Forms
pistoned past tense, pistons plural, pistons singular
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A worn _____ can cause the engine to lose power.
Etymology
Borrowed from French piston.