1 cylinder | Definition of cylinder

cylinder

noun
cyl·​in·​der | \ ˈsi-lÉ™n-dÉ™r How to pronounce cylinder (audio) \

Definition of cylinder

1a : the surface traced by a straight line moving parallel to a fixed straight line and intersecting a fixed planar closed curve
b : a solid or surface bounded by a cylinder and two parallel planes cutting all its elements especially : right circular cylinder — see Volume Formulas Table
2 : a cylindrical body or space: such as
a : the turning chambered breech of a revolver
b(1) : the piston chamber in an engine
(2) : a chamber in a pump from which the piston expels the fluid
c : any of various rotating members in a press (such as a printing press) especially : one that impresses paper on an inked form
d : a cylindrical clay object inscribed with cuneiform inscriptions
on all cylinders
: with maximum effort or intensity : at full capacity or speed the economy is running on all cylinders

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Other Words from cylinder

cylindered \ ˈsi-​lÉ™n-​dÉ™rd How to pronounce cylindered (audio) \ adjective

Examples of cylinder in a Sentence

the cylinder of a revolver

Recent Examples on the Web

With Moreira and the rest of the defense stepping up, and the attack firing on all cylinders, the Timbers were finally able to move about the red line into playoff position last week. Jamie Goldberg, oregonlive.com, "Jorge Moreira developing into crucial piece on Portland Timbers’ backline," 1 Aug. 2019 As for the offense, the Coyotes seemed to be firing on all cylinders by finding the end zone twice in the first eight minutes of the game. Danny Shapiro, azcentral, "Arizona high school football: Key Week 1 game roundups," 23 Aug. 2019 With the club firing on all cylinders, the Lions roared to a 32-0 victory. Emmett Hall, sun-sentinel.com, "Lauderhill Lions following up national championship with impressive start," 22 Aug. 2019 Yet there are good reasons to believe the economy, while not firing on all cylinders, isn't on the verge of a breakdown. Alain Sherter, CBS News, "3 reasons the U.S. economy isn't set to fall off a cliff," 20 Aug. 2019 That being said, AMD’s firing on all cylinders recently and coming off the red-hot launch of both the butt-kicking Radeon RX 5700 series and 3rd-gen Ryzen CPUs that outshine Intel’s best processors. Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "AMD CEO confirms high-end Radeon 'Navi' graphics cards are coming," 1 Aug. 2019 The engine is a 2.0L TFSI (gasoline, turbocharged, direct-injection) four-cylinder unit, which provides 228hp (170kW) and 258lb-ft (350Nm). Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "The 2019 Audi Q3 is a compelling crossover point of entry to the brand," 27 July 2019 But Sunday's comeback win was dulled by the loss of all-star starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff, whose oblique injury means the team must now patch together a rotation that already isn't clicking on all cylinders. Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Brewers podcast: Good news! The Brewers won a bunch of games. But there's bad news, too...," 22 July 2019 The engine is a potent 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 hp and plenty of grunt, so the TourX can get out of its own way. Gary Gastelu, Fox News, "The 2018 Buick Regal TourX is the American station wagon's last stand...sort of," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cylinder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of cylinder

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for cylinder

Middle French or Latin; Middle French cylindre, from Latin cylindrus, from Greek kylindros, from kylindein to roll; perhaps akin to Greek kyklos wheel — more at wheel

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More Definitions for cylinder

cylinder

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cylinder

: a shape that has straight sides and two circular ends
: a tube in which a piston of an engine moves
: the part of a gun that turns and that holds the bullets

cylinder

noun
cyl·​in·​der | \ ˈsi-lÉ™n-dÉ™r How to pronounce cylinder (audio) \

Kids Definition of cylinder

: a long round body whether hollow or solid

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More from Merriam-Webster on cylinder

Spanish Central: Translation of cylinder

Nglish: Translation of cylinder for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of cylinder for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cylinder