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locomotive

lo·co·mo·tive

locomotive

 
pronunciation:
lo k mo tihv
parts of speech:
noun, adjective
features:
Word Combinations (noun), Word History
part of speech: noun
definition: a self-propelled engine, esp. one that pulls or pushes railroad cars.
 
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adjective
definition 1: of, related to, or involving motion from place to place.
similar words:
moving
definition 2: of, related to, or being a locomotive.
definition 3: having the internal power to move from place to place.
derivation: locomotively (adv.)
Word History
Locomotive entered English from French in 1612, long before trains existed. Its first meaning was "able to move from place to place." It became a word for a railroad engine in the 1800s.