# locomotive

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌləʊkəˈməʊtɪv/ · frequency rank #14,988

## Definitions
1. The power unit of a train that pulls the coaches or wagons.
2. A traction engine.
3. A cheer characterized by a slow beginning and a progressive increase in speed.
4. Any 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.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **locomotion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/locomotion-vs-locomotive)

## Common misspellings (14)
`lcoomotive`, `llocomotive`, `loccomotive`, `locmootive`, `locommotive`, `locomoitve`, `locomotiev`, `locomotivve`, `locomottive`, `locomotvie`, `locomtoive`, `locoomtive`, `loocmotive`, `olcomotive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/locomotive