noun
thruster
THRUH-st
noun
1
A small engine used to steer or position a spacecraft, ship, or submarine.
"The astronauts fired the thrusters to adjust the capsule's orbit."
2
A type of shortboard surfboard with three equally-sized fins.
"He rode a classic thruster in the competition."
How to Use Thruster
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small propulsion engine on a vehicle, or a three-finned surfboard.
Common pairings
bow thruster
fire the thrusters
Word Forms
thrusters plural
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The astronauts fired the _____ to adjust the capsule's orbit.
Etymology
Formed from thrust plus -er; the surfboard sense was coined by surfboard designer Simon Anderson in 1980 and quickly became the generic name for that fin setup.