Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of jet engine: A turbofan is a jet engine in which a large fan at the front, driven by a turbine, draws in air. Most of this air bypasses the engine core, providing quieter and more fuel-efficient thrust than a pure turbojet.
   • An airplane using this engine: A turbofan can also refer to an airplane that is propelled by such an engine.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Engine):
  • Modern commercial airliners are almost all powered by high-bypass turbofans.
  • The key component of a turbofan is the large ducted fan at the front.
• Noun (Airplane):
  • The airline added several new turbofans to its fleet for the long-haul routes.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In engineering, the efficiency of a is often described by its "bypass ratio," which is the ratio of air that bypasses the engine core to the air that goes through it.

Variants and Related Words

• Fanjet: A synonym for a turbofan engine or an airplane equipped with one.
• Turbojet: A simpler type of jet engine without a large bypass fan, providing more thrust at high speeds but less efficiency.
• Turboprop: A turbine engine that drives a propeller, used for slower regional aircraft.
• High-bypass turbofan: The most common modern type, where a large majority of the intake air bypasses the core, optimizing for fuel efficiency and noise reduction.

Synonyms

• Fanjet (noun): A direct synonym for both the engine and the aircraft.
• Bypass engine (noun): A descriptive synonym highlighting its key technical feature.

Related Phrases

• Turbofan engine: The full technical term, often used interchangeably with "turbofan."
• Powered by turbofans: A phrase describing an aircraft's propulsion system.
  • The new aircraft model is powered by advanced, fuel-efficient turbofans.

Noun

1. a jet engine in which a fan driven by a turbine provides extra air to the burner and gives extra thrust
2. an airplane propelled by a fanjet engine