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diesel

Etymology and origin of the English word diesel

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Eponym
First attested
1894

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈdiːzəl/; /ˈdisəl/, /ˈdizəl/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is named after Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913), the German mechanical engineer who designed this kind of engine in the 1890s.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A type of internal-combustion engine using oil as fuel: 1894.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

Combinations such as diesel-driven and diesel-hauled are from 1905,[5] and diesel as short for diesel oil, fuel for diesel engines, from 1953.[5] The verb, of a petrol engine, to keep running after the ignition is turned off, is from 1971 in American English, because the heat of the engine continues to fire the fuel as in a diesel.[2] In South African slang, diesel is any cola drink.[6]

Timeline

  • 1894 – the diesel engine.[2]
  • 1905 – diesel-driven.[5]
  • 1953 – diesel oil.[5]
  • 1971 – to diesel (verb).[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A diesel engine, in which fuel is ignited by the heat of compressed air.
  2. A vehicle, ship or locomotive driven by a diesel engine.
  3. (informal) Diesel oil.

Verb

  1. Of a petrol engine, to continue running after the ignition is switched off.

Word family

  • dieselize
  • diesel-electric

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
Cite this entry

“Diesel.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/diesel. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·