Ignition

/ɪɡˈnɪʃən/ noun

Definition

Ignition is the act of starting a fire or causing fuel to burn. In machines like cars, the ignition is the system or switch that starts the engine.

Etymology

From Latin "ignitio" meaning "a setting on fire," from "ignire" (to ignite). With the rise of engines, the word was applied to the mechanism that starts controlled combustion.

Kelly Says

Turning a car key (or pressing a button) triggers a tiny, timed explosion—that’s your ignition system doing controlled micro-fireworks thousands of times a minute. The same basic idea powers rockets, gas stoves, and even some power plants.

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