What does motorise mean?
Motorise means to fit a vehicle, machine, or system with a motor, or to convert it so that it operates by motor power. Its clearest use is in transport and engineering: a company may motorise a delivery fleet, while engineers may motorise a bicycle or industrial device. Historically, the word also described the replacement of horse-drawn or manually operated systems by cars, trains, and other powered machinery. In British English, motorise is the standard spelling, although motorize is understood in American English. The term can sound somewhat formal or technical in contemporary usage, but it is also common in historical writing about the development of transport. It is a precise word when the important point is the introduction of mechanical power rather than simply the use of electricity or automation.
To equip a vehicle, machine, or system with a motor, especially by converting it from non-motorized to motorized operation.
"The factory motorised its delivery vehicles to improve efficiency."
British English spelling; use motorize in American English.
To travel or transport something by motor vehicle.
"Passengers could motorise from the village to the station in a few minutes."
This sense is somewhat dated or formal and is less common than the sense of equipping a vehicle with a motor.
From horse power to horsepower, motorise captures the moment when a machine takes over the work once done by muscles or animals.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does motorise come from?
The verb is formed from the noun motor, which comes from Latin motor, meaning a mover or one that moves, and ultimately from the Latin verb movere, “to move.” The suffix -ise is attached in the usual British spelling; the corresponding American form is motorize. Related English words include motoring, motorist and automotive, all belonging to the same conceptual and etymological family.
Related word forms
How motorise is actually used
The spelling is especially common in British English; American English generally uses motorize. In historical contexts, the word can refer to replacing animal-drawn transport with motor vehicles. The phrase motorised transport is also used in formal and technical writing.
Easily confused with motorise
Motorise is the usual British spelling, while motorize is the usual American spelling of the same verb.
Memorise means to learn something by heart, whereas motorise means to fit or convert something for operation by motor power.