v8

v8 — noun

1. an engine with eight cylinders set in two angled rows, or a car or truck powered

1.nounC1
Definition

an engine with eight cylinders set in two angled rows, or a car or truck powered by this kind of engine

Example

Kenji bought an old Mustang with a V8 for weekend road trips.

with a V8

At the repair shop, Roya asked if the V8 needed new spark plugs.

repair context: checking the V8

Common collocations
  • a V8 engine
  • drive a V8
  • V8 truck
  • V8 sound
Synonyms
  • eight-cylinder engine

    a neutral descriptive term that names the cylinder count without using the short label

  • V-8 engine

    the same engine type, written with a hyphen in some technical sources

Grammar Patterns

a V8

a V8 engine

with a V8 under the hood

Usage Note

Usually used in car and truck talk. It most often names the engine itself, but people also use it for a vehicle that has this engine.

Common Mistakes

My car is a V8 engine.
My car has a V8 engine.
V8 usually names the engine itself, unless the context clearly means a vehicle with one.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A V8 is an engine with eight cylinders split into two rows that meet at an angle. Compared with a V6, it usually gives more power and a deeper sound, but it often uses more fuel and takes more space. An inline-four is smaller, lighter, and more common in everyday cars, so it is usually chosen for economy rather than heavy towing. A straight-six can also run smoothly, but its cylinders sit in one long row instead of two angled banks, which changes how it fits inside a vehicle. In everyday car talk, people may also say a V8 when they mean a car or truck that has one.

v8 ↗v6inline-fourstraight-six

Common collocations

Nouns

  • V8 engine
  • V8 truck
  • V8 car

Phrases

  • buy a V8
  • drive a V8
  • hear a V8 roar

Prepositions

  • with a V8

Etymology

English

The name combines the letter V, which describes the way the cylinders are arranged, with the number 8, which shows how many cylinders the engine has. Motor writers and car makers use this short label to classify the engine type quickly.

First known use

1930

1930, in the meaning defined above