Refueling

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of supplying fuel to a vehicle or machine to restore its energy source
2. The action of putting fuel into an engine or device to enable its continued operation
3. Supplying fuel to a machine or vehicle in order to replenish its energy for further use

Etymology: "Refueling" is the present participle and gerund of "refuel," which is formed simply by adding the prefix "re-," meaning "again," to "fuel." The base word "fuel" came into English from Old French, where it was "fouaille" or related forms, ultimately tracing back to Latin "focus," meaning hearth or fireplace. So the core idea is literally the fire at the hearth, which is why fuel once meant the wood or coal that kept a fire burning. The prefix "re-" has a long pedigree of its own. It descends from Latin "re-," which carried the sense of "back" or "again," and it passed into English through Old French. Its presence in "refuel" is a plain, productive use of the prefix, the same mechanism behind words like "reheat" or "rebuild."

Synonyms: replenishing, recharging