Engine and Ingenious Are the Same Word
An engine converts energy into motion. The Latin root means natural talent, which is why ingenious is its relative.
An engine is a machine converting energy into mechanical motion. The Latin *ingenium* meant inborn talent or cleverness, and an engine was originally an ingenious device — a siege engine, a contrivance. *Ingenious* is the same word, and *engineer* meant one who devised such things long before anyone built a steam engine.
- A machine producing motion. *A jet engine.*
- A locomotive. *A steam engine.*
- A software system. *A search engine.*
- A means of achieving something. *An engine of growth.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | engine | A petrol engine. |
| Plural | engines | Twin engines. |
| Person | engineer | A civil engineer. |
| Related | ingenious | An ingenious design. |
| Related | gin | A cotton gin. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The engine failed on take-off.Aviation.
- A search engine indexes the web.Computing.
- Gin, as in cotton gin, is short for engine.Not the drink.
Engine or motor
- Engine — usually converts fuel into motion by combustion
- Motor — usually converts electrical energy into motion
- Overlap — the words are often used interchangeably
- Siege engine — the oldest sense, a contrived device of war
- Engineer — originally a designer of such devices
From Old French *engin*, skill or device, from Latin *ingenium*, innate quality or talent, from *in* and *gignere*, to beget.
Are engine and ingenious related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *ingenium*, meaning natural cleverness. An engine was a clever device.
Engine or motor?
Convention favours engine for combustion and motor for electric, though the words overlap heavily in ordinary use.