Carburetters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A device designed to mix air and fuel for combustion engines
2. a component that enhances the efficiency of fuel intake and vaporization
3. an apparatus used in various engines to facilitate proper fuel-air mixture for optimal performance

Etymology: "Carburetters" is simply the plural of "carburetter," the British spelling of the device that mixes fuel with air in an engine. The plural takes the regular "-s" ending, so the form tells you nothing new about the word itself; the history lies in the root, which is "carburet," a term from chemistry meaning a compound of carbon with another element. The word was formed from "carbon" together with a suffix used in chemistry to name combinations, so the carburettor takes its name from the fuel-rich carbon compounds it was designed to supply to the air stream.