turbocharger

The word is a modern compound, fusing two distinct mechanical concepts. The first element, 'turbo', draws directly from the Latin word for a spinning object or vortex, reflecting the core turbine component spun by exhaust gases. The second element, 'charger', originates from the Late Latin carricare (to load a vehicle), which evolved into the English sense of supplying energy or pressure. Combined in the early 20th century, 'turbocharger' literally denotes a device that uses a spinning turbine to force more air (a 'charge') into an engine, thereby increasing its power output through mechanical supercharging.