noun
- a type of jet engine that operates without moving parts, using the forward motion of an aircraft to compress air for combustion.
Usage: aeronautical; technical; also called a ramjet
Examples
- The athodyd engine was an early experimental design for high-speed aircraft propulsion.
- Unlike conventional jet engines, an athodyd has no compressor or turbine.
- The athodyd relies on the aircraft's forward velocity to compress incoming air.
- Engineers tested the athodyd concept during the development of supersonic flight technology.