1. A type of jet engine that operates without a compressor, using the forward motion of an aircraft to compress incoming air for combustion.
Usage: aeronautical/technical; also called a ramjet or flying stovepipe; rarely used in modern aircraft

Examples

• The athodyd was an early experimental jet engine design tested in the 1940s.
• Unlike conventional jet engines, an athodyd has no moving compressor parts.
• The athodyd relies on the aircraft's forward speed to compress air into the combustion chamber.
• Engineers considered the athodyd as a simpler alternative to turbojets for high-speed flight.
• Modern aircraft rarely use athodyds because they are inefficient at low speeds.