diesel
DEE-zuhl
/ˈdiːzl/
A heavy petroleum fraction used as fuel in compression-ignition internal combustion engines.
Requires high compression rather than spark plugs; putting diesel into an unleaded gas car can cause severe engine damage.
The story behind the word. Rudolf Diesel invented the compression-ignition engine in the 1890s, aiming for much higher efficiency than steam engines. The liquid fuel developed specifically for his revolutionary engine took his family name.
Word relationships
- gasoil: Gasoil is an industry term for refined petroleum middle distillate, whereas diesel is the standard commercial name.
Commonly confused with
- petrol: Petrol (gasoline) ignites with a spark plug, whereas diesel ignites through high pressure and heat alone.
Collocations
- diesel fuel
- diesel engine
- diesel exhaust
- biodiesel
Example sentences
- "Heavy commercial trucks usually fill up at separate diesel pumps with high-flow nozzles." Station refueling
- "The engine operates on diesel, giving it high torque for towing heavy loads." Engine mechanics
Memory hook
Rudolf DIESEL created the DIESEL engine that drives heavy transport. DIESEL = Heavy-duty compression engine fuel.
When not to use
Do not use interchangeably with general 'gasoline' or 'petrol'.
Fun facts
- Rudolf Diesel's original engine prototype was designed to run on vegetable peanut oil before refined petroleum distillate was adopted.
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