propulsion

Borrowed from Medieval Latin propulsio, propulsionis, from the past participle of Latin propello (“to drive forward, drive forth, drive away, drive out”).

• IPA^(key): /pɹəˈpʌlʃən/

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propulsion (countable and uncountable, plural propulsions)

1. The process of propelling, driving, or pushing, typically forward or onward; a propulsive force or impulse.
2. That which propels.
   • 1995, Joyce A. Hayes, Benjamin E. Goldberg, David M. Anderson, “Environmental Benefits of Chemical Propulsion”, in Ann F. Whitaker, editor, Aerospace Environmental Technology Conference, page 59:

     However, nuclear propulsion provides a very high specific impulse and consistent, long duration energy source.

   • 2013, Yung-Kang (Derby) Sun, Non-Propellant Propulsion for Space Flight, page 20:

     This propulsion provides an initial velocity for the vehicle in a short time span.

   • 2015, Peter Jedicke, Extreme Science: The Highway of Light and Other Man-Made Wonders, Scientific American:

     Solar-electric propulsion accelerates a spacecraft by means of a low-thrust ion jet.

• propel

• “propulsion”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• propulsion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Borrowed from Medieval Latin propulsiōnem, from Latin propulsus.

• IPA^(key): /pʁɔ.pyl.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

propulsion f (plural propulsions)

1. propulsion [from 1640]

• “propulsion”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.