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horsepower definition

horse·power (hôrs′po̵u′ər)

noun

  1. the power exerted by a horse in pulling
  2. pl. horsepower a basic unit of power in the FPS system, equal to the power needed to raise a weight of 550 pounds a distance of 1 foot in 1 second or a weight of 33,000 pounds a distance of 1 foot in 1 minute (746 watts or 42.41 British thermal units per minute): used esp. for measuring the power of motors or engines: abbrev. hp
  3. Informal power this car doesn't have the horsepower to climb steep hills

Etymology: first adopted by James Watt

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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