Definition of turbocharged

The word "turbocharged" originates from the early 20th century. It comes from the combination of "turbo-" from the Greek word "turbos," meaning whirl or whirlwind, and "-charged," from the Latin word "chargare," meaning to load or propel. In the 1900s, early internal combustion engines suffered from low power output due to limited air flow. To increase power, engineers experimented with forced induction, using a turbine-driven supercharger to compress air and boost engine performance. The term "turbocharged" was coined to describe this technology, which used the waste gases from an engine to drive a turbine that compresses air, increasing oxygen flow and subsequently engine power. The first production turbocharged car was the Napier-Railton, unveiled in 1933. Since then, turbocharging has become a widely used technology in the automotive and aviation industries, enhancing engine performance and efficiency.