Engineering English
Torque
Mechanical Engineering · Engineering Fundamentals · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force, measuring the twisting effort produced by an engine's crankshaft. It is typically expressed in newton-meters or pound-feet.
Example in context
“The engine generates peak torque at 3200 rpm, which must be considered when selecting the gear ratios for the transmission.”
“Motor, 3200 dev/dak'da maksimum tork üretir; şanzıman dişli oranları seçilirken bu dikkate alınmalıdır.”
Where engineers use it
Torque appears on engine dynamometer test reports and torque curves; engineers use it to evaluate low-speed pulling power and to match gear ratios for optimal acceleration and fuel efficiency.
In Engineering Fundamentals
A twisting action produced by a force acting at a distance from an axis, tending to cause rotation about that axis.
“The technician used a calibrated wrench to apply the specified torque to each cylinder head bolt.”
Practice: can you use “Torque” at work?
You are tuning a diesel engine for a mining truck. How would you explain the trade-off between peak torque and peak horsepower to the operator?
Show a model answer
“The engine's torque curve determines its towing capability.”
“Torque” in 21 languages
| English | Torque |
|---|---|
| Turkish | tork |
| French | couple |
| German | Drehmoment |
| Spanish | par motor |
| Chinese | 扭矩 |
| Arabic | عزم الدوران |
| Portuguese | torque |
| Russian | крутящий момент |
| Japanese | トルク |
| Italian | coppia |
| Vietnamese | mô-men xoắn |
| Hindi | बल आघूर्ण |
| Thai | แรงบิด |
| Indonesian | torsi |
| Korean | 토크 |
| Bengali | টর্ক |
| Dutch | koppel |
| Swedish | vridmoment |
| Finnish | vääntömomentti |
| Ukrainian | крутний момент |
Frequently asked questions
What does Torque mean in engineering?
Torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force, measuring the twisting effort produced by an engine's crankshaft. It is typically expressed in newton-meters or pound-feet. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Torque?
Torque is pronounced /tɔːk/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Torque used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The engine generates peak torque at 3200 rpm, which must be considered when selecting the gear ratios for the transmission.”
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