locomotive

Everyday

1. A railway engine that pulls a train. tree →
2. (science, formal) To do with movement from place to place; «locomotion» is how animals move. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons about the Industrial Revolution, George Stephenson's «Rocket» (1829) was a famous steam locomotive. In science, animals' locomotion (walking, swimming, flying) is studied. In everyday life, children see diesel and electric locomotives. Phrases: steam locomotive, diesel locomotive, Locomotion No. 1.

Examples

• The steam locomotive puffed out clouds of smoke. tree →
• Stephenson's Rocket was an early locomotive. tree →
• The locomotive pulled twenty wagons of coal. tree →
• An electric locomotive takes power from wires above the track. tree →
• We visited a museum full of old locomotives. tree →
• Birds and fish have different kinds of locomotion. tree →
• The locomotive's driver blew the whistle. tree →

Note

Countable. Pronounced loh-kuh-MOH-tiv. In everyday speech «engine» or «train engine» is more common. Related: locomotion (movement). Trap: the «train» is the whole line of carriages; the locomotive is the engine.