lo·co·mo·tive
ˌlō-kə-ˈmō-tiv 
1
2
: of or relating to travel
3
: of, relating to, or being a machine that moves about by operation of its own mechanism
1
: a self-propelled vehicle that runs on rails and is used for moving railroad cars
2
: a school or college cheer characterized by a slow beginning and a progressive increase in speed
Examples of locomotive in a Sentence
Adjective
the locomotive ability of spiders
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Gibson, CBS News, 28 May 2024
Furiosa’s high point features a gleaming 16-wheeler truck — a gear-head war machine that Miller stages like the locomotive climax of a silent movie — and an homage to his own Road Warrior, from 1982.
—Armond White, National Review, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for locomotive 
Adjective
Amtrak requires locomotive engineers not to exceed 100 miles per hour when the rail temperature reach 131 degrees, and to slow to 80 miles per hour when the tracks is at 140 degrees.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 28 May 2024
Furiosa’s high point features a gleaming 16-wheeler truck — a gear-head war machine that Miller stages like the locomotive climax of a silent movie — and an homage to his own Road Warrior, from 1982.
—Armond White, National Review, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for locomotive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'locomotive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near locomotive
Cite this Entry
“Locomotive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/locomotive. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
locomotive
1 of 2 adjective
lo·co·mo·tive
ˌlō-kə-ˈmōt-iv
1
: of or relating to locomotion
2
: of, relating to, or being a locomotive
locomotive
2 of 2 noun
: an engine that moves under its own power
especially
: one that hauls cars on a railroad
Medical Definition
locomotive
adjective
lo·co·mo·tive
ˌlō-kə-ˈmōt-iv
: locomotor sense 1
locomotive organs include flagella, cilia, pseudopodia, and limbs
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