locomotive
/ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/noun, adjective
locomotive is spelled L-O-C-O-M-O-T-I-V-E: 10 letters and 4 syllables. It appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,928th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, locomotive means “The power unit of a train that pulls the coaches or wagons” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of locomotive is locomotives.
How many letters and syllables are in locomotive?
| Letters | 10: L-O-C-O-M-O-T-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.2 times per million words; the 14,928th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is locomotive?
Locomotive appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,928th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce locomotive?
- UK /ˌləʊkəˈməʊtɪv/
- US /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
Locomotive has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-locomotive.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with locomotive?
4 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as locomotive from its last stressed vowel (/oʊtɪv/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of locomotive
- locomotives plural
- more locomotive comparative
- most locomotive superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does locomotive mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The power unit of a train that pulls the coaches or wagons.
- 2
rareA traction engine.
- 3
slangA cheer characterized by a slow beginning and a progressive increase in speed.
- 4
archaicAny of various early road vehicles, steam-powered, etc., forerunners of the modern car.
- 5
A country which drives the world economy by having a high level of imports, such as the United States.
adjective
- 1
Of or relating to locomotion.
- 2
Of or relating to the power unit of a train which does not carry passengers or freight itself.
- 3
Moving, or capable of motion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate locomotive?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of locomotive: loco.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Locomotive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | locomotive |
| German | Lokomotive , lokomotorisch |
| Portuguese | locomotiva , locomotor |
| Spanish | locomotora , locomotor |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does locomotive come from?
From French locomotif, from Latin locō (literally “from a place”) (ablative of locus (“place”)) + Vulgar Latin mōtivus (“moving”) (see motive). In the rail transport sense, ellipsis of locomotive (steam) engine, attested from 1814.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).