carburetor

• carburator
• carburettor (Australia, Britain, New Zealand)
• carbureter
• carburetter

Attested from 1862, from carburet (“enrich an illuminating gas with carbon-rich fuel”) +‎ -or. The motor vehicle sense is attested since 1896

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑːb(j)əˌɹɛtə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑɹb(j)əˌɹeɪtɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

carburetor (plural carburetors)

1. (obsolete) A device for enhancing illuminating gas by mixing in carbon-rich fuel. [from 1860s]
   • Second, the employment of a current of air between the carburettor and the tube leading to the burner, is described.

     The Mechanics' Magazine, July 25, 1862.

2. (US, Canada) A device in an internal combustion engine where fuel is vaporized and mixed with air prior to ignition. [from 1890s]
3. (slang, drugs) A water pipe or bong; a device or contrivance for mixing air with burning cannabis or cocaine. [from 1970s]
   • 1989, United States International Trade Commission, Importation of certain drug paraphernalia into the United States, page 8:

     Variations on the bong included air-driven pipes, electric pipes, ice pipes (chillers), mask pipes, chamber pipes, and carburetor pipes.

   • 2008, Dale Gieringer, Ed Rosenthal, Gregory Carter, Marijuana Medical Handbook‎, page 172:

     Some pipes feature a “carburetor,” which is a small hole in the air chamber located past the bowl. The carburetor is held shut while the bowl is being lit and the smoke drawn.

• carb (North America)
• carby (Australia)
• gasifier

• fuel injection, injector

• carburetion

• carburetor on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Jonathon Green (2024) “carburetor”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang