Multijet

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A propulsion mechanism incorporating several jet streams to improve overall thrust effectiveness
2. A technology utilizing multiple jet outputs to achieve enhanced performance and efficiency in engines
3. A propulsion system that employs several jets working together to boost thrust and efficiency

Etymology: "Multijet" is a plain compound: the prefix "multi-", from Latin "multus" meaning "many," joined to "jet," the word for a stream of fluid forced out through a narrow opening. The "jet" in turn comes from Old French "jet," a throw or cast, from "jeter," to throw, which reached English as a name for the black mineral and later for the gas stream from an engine. Put together, the term describes a technology that combines several such streams. The "multi-" element is itself a productive English prefix, used freely since the 19th century to build technical compounds, so "multijet" follows the same pattern as many other modern coinages. Its sense is specific: it refers to engine designs that use more than one jet outlet to improve performance and efficiency, rather than a single exhaust or spray.