Engineering English
Horsepower
Mechanical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Horsepower is a unit of power that measures the rate at which an engine performs work, commonly used to rate engine output in vehicles and machinery. One horsepower equals 550 foot-pounds per second or approximately 746 watts.
Example in context
“The engine produces 450 horsepower at 6000 rpm, which is sufficient to accelerate the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in under five seconds.”
“Motor, 6000 dev/dak'da 450 beygir gücü üretir; bu, aracın 0'dan 60 mil/saat'e beş saniyenin altında hızlanması için yeterlidir.”
Where engineers use it
Horsepower appears on engine spec sheets and vehicle brochures; powertrain engineers use it to compare engine outputs, design cooling systems, and certify vehicle performance standards.
Practice: can you use “Horsepower” at work?
You are presenting a new engine prototype to management. How would you justify the targeted 500 horsepower output in terms of vehicle top speed and acceleration?
Show a model answer
“Horsepower ratings help compare engine performance across models.”
“Horsepower” in 21 languages
| English | Horsepower |
|---|---|
| Turkish | beygir gücü |
| French | chevaux-vapeur |
| German | Leistung (PS) |
| Spanish | caballos de fuerza |
| Chinese | 马力 |
| Arabic | حصان |
| Portuguese | cavalo-vapor |
| Russian | лошадиная сила |
| Japanese | 馬力 |
| Italian | cavalli vapore |
| Vietnamese | mã lực |
| Hindi | अश्वशक्ति |
| Thai | แรงม้า |
| Indonesian | daya kuda |
| Korean | 마력 |
| Bengali | অশ্বশক্তি |
| Dutch | paardenkracht |
| Swedish | hästkraft |
| Finnish | hevosvoima |
| Ukrainian | кінська сила |
Frequently asked questions
What does Horsepower mean in engineering?
Horsepower is a unit of power that measures the rate at which an engine performs work, commonly used to rate engine output in vehicles and machinery. One horsepower equals 550 foot-pounds per second or approximately 746 watts. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Horsepower?
Horsepower is pronounced /hɔːrsˌpaʊər/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Horsepower used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The engine produces 450 horsepower at 6000 rpm, which is sufficient to accelerate the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in under five seconds.”
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