# cylinder

/ˈsɪɫəndɝ/ (US) · /sˈɪlɪndɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cylinder
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. geometric shape

noun · CEFR B2

a shape with two circular ends and straight sides, like a pipe or a soup can.

For teachers: a solid geometric figure with two parallel circular bases and a curved surface connecting them.

- The architect designed the building as a tall glass cylinder.
- The student calculated the volume of the cylinder by multiplying the area of its circular base by its height.

### 2. engine part

noun · CEFR B2

the tube-shaped part of an engine where a piston moves to create power.

For teachers: the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, being the space in which a piston travels.

- The car has a powerful six-cylinder engine.
- A crack in the third cylinder caused the engine to lose compression and stall during the test drive.

### 3. gas container

noun · CEFR B2

a strong metal container used for holding gas under pressure.

For teachers: a pressurized metal container, typically cylindrical with rounded ends, used for storing and transporting gases.

- We need to buy a new gas cylinder for the outdoor grill.
- The divers checked their oxygen cylinders one last time before descending into the cave system.

### 4. computing storage

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a way of grouping data on a computer's hard drive.

For teachers: a unit of data on a hard disk drive consisting of the set of all tracks that are at the same distance from the centre of the platters.

- The old computer manual explained how data was organized by cylinder and track.
- Modern operating systems abstract the physical cylinder-head-sector geometry of the drive to simplify data management.

Usage: Usually used when discussing the physical geometry of older hard disk drives.

## Examples

- The engine has four cylinders.
- The architect designed the building as a tall glass cylinder to provide a panoramic view of the city.
- Engineers measured the pressure within each cylinder to determine why the motor was losing power during high-speed acceleration.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.