turbocharger

[ tur-boh-chahr-jer ]

noun

1. a supercharger that is driven by a turbine turned by exhaust gases from the engine.

turbocharger

/ ˈtɜːbəʊˌtʃɑːdʒə /

noun

1. a centrifugal compressor which boosts the intake pressure of an internal-combustion engine, driven by an exhaust-gas turbine fitted to the engine's exhaust manifold

Word History and Origins

Origin of turbocharger¹

First recorded in 1930–35; turbo- + (super)charger

Example Sentences

It features a hand-built, 5.5 liter V-8 engine capable of roaring at 8,600 revolutions per minute without using a turbocharger or a battery-booster.

From Reuters

Barnes’ truck spent a week at Banks’ garage, where a new cold air intake, a new exhaust system and a replacement intercooler was installed along with a turbocharger upgrade.

From Los Angeles Times

That cutting-edge technology was called a turbocharger.

From New York Times

Not even the General Motors Heritage Center’s archives — with enough documents to stuff a file drawer nearly three miles long — hint at why not one but two turbocharger projects were greenlighted in the late 1950s.

From New York Times

Those devices crippled the turbocharger often enough to render it largely useless.

From New York Times