motor vs engine

[Corban_White]

Everyone seems to be the authority on correcting people who call motors engines or vise versa. Also, everyone seems to have their own definition of the two, and since it makes sense to them of course it is right and anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong. English (along with most languages) is adaptable and words often evolve with technology. I have seen statements such as this that attempt to define the difference (in a self righteous sort of way): "An engine converts thermal energy into mechanical motion, a motor converts electrical energy into mechanical motion." This sort of rhetoric makes one sound very ignorant when you consider all the engines/motors that exist. Search engine, app engine, rocket engine, rocket motor, thermodynamic motor/heat engine, molecular motor, pneumatic motor, siege engine, hydraulic motor, electric motor, trolling motor (is it a trolling engine if it runs on gas?), motorboat, motorcycle (enginecycle?), internal combustion engine, motor oil, crate motor, etc., etc., etc. For all intents and purposes, the two words are used almost interchangeably in modern english. For example, I know several people who fly model rockets and purchase rocket engines from Estes. I also personally know several people who used to work at Thiokol building rocket motors. Is there a difference(other than the size and type of fuel)? Maybe. Is it easily definable? Probably not. Lets all stop making ourselves sound ignorant by correcting other people who don't use the word we think they should.


http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/engine.htm

http://engineering.mit.edu/ask/what’s-difference-between-motor-and-engine

And many many more on google.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

Engine for gas powered or fuel powered.

Motor for electric powered.

It might be because I work in Oil and Gas though

 

[Spork]

For some reason anytime this discussion comes up I think of Night Ranger...

[video=youtube;bVey-358Vcc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVey-358Vcc[/video]

(motorin')

 

[ichi-san]

So, do hybrid vehicles have engines or motors?

 

[skeptic]

So, do hybrid vehicles have engines or motors?

Both. Gas engine and electric motor. In my mind, if it's electric powered it's a motor and if it's mechanical/pressure powered it's an engine. I don't get hung up on it though, people use the terms interchangeably yet somehow I manage to figure out what they mean. Honestly, I think it's probably more accurate to call an engine a type of motor. Sorta like turbochargers and a superchargers are different, but in reality a turbocharger is a turbine driven supercharger. Turbo is a specific subset of superchargers the same way engines are a subset of motors.

 

[Coco]

I just like to call it whatever I want to when the moment is right. Doesnt really matter to me what others think is right or wrong. Most likely they know exactly what I am talking about at the time, and if not they do before I have finished talking about it. I got other things to worry about than the proper wording of an object that makes power.

-Merica

 

[N-Smooth]

Engines can be called motors.
Motors cannot be called engines.

I worked in a parts store and the old timers would say "what motor does it have in it?" when helping customers. It grew on me.

Also, saying a n/a car is "all-engine" sounds stupid.

 

[Cascadia]

Why do they call it motor oil if it goes in an engine?

 

[DAA]

Also, saying a n/a car is "all-engine" sounds stupid.

- DAA

 

[bryson]

Interesting info regarding rocket propulsion -

From the first link in the first post:

The confusion between rocket engine and rocket motor is less obvious. By analogy with other devices that consume fuel, it ought to be an engine, but perhaps by the time it came to be named motor had become so close a synonym that either felt right.

From the second link in the first post:

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “motor” as a machine that supplies motive power for a vehicle or other device with moving parts. Similarly, it tells us that an engine is a machine with moving parts that converts power into motion. “We use the words interchangeably now,” says Fuller. “But originally, they meant very different things.”

From reading the first quote, I'd think it should be called an engine. But, according to the second quote, it doesn't fit either definition since it doesn't have any moving parts (although that could depend on how you interpret the definitions...)

Maybe I'll just call it a whoosh generator from now because it's "humorous, genderless, politically correct."

 

[jeeper]

That's odd.. I have a GMC truck, and keys marked GM. I guess the Auto maker doesn't know the difference.

 

[UNSTUCK]

That's odd.. I have a GMC truck, and keys marked GM. I guess the Auto maker doesn't know the difference.

No, they just ran out of money so they couldn't add the C.

 

[MikeGyver]

engineboating son of a b just doesn't have the same ring to it.

 

[skippy]

engineboating son of a b just doesn't have the same ring to it.

I agree with MikeGyver