Definition of supercharge

The verb "supercharge" has its roots in the early 20th century. In the 1900s, a "supercharger" was a device that forced air into an internal combustion engine to increase power. The term "supercharge" referred to the process of providing an engine with a supplemental air supply, typically through a mechanical compressor. This practice allowed engines to run faster and produce more power than they would have otherwise. The word "supercharge" is derived from the Latin "super" meaning "above" or "beyond", and the Old French "charger", meaning "to load" or "to charge". In the context of engine design, "supercharging" was a way to load an engine with more air than it would normally have access to, thereby increasing its power output. The term has since been adapted to describe other forms of enhancement or amplification, but its origins are firmly rooted in the world of internal combustion engines.