turbo

See also: Turbo, turbó, turbò, and turbo-

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɜː.bəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɝ.boʊ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈtʌɹ.bo/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)bəʊ

Etymology 1

From turbine.

Noun

turbo (countable and uncountable, plural turbos)

1. (informal) A turbine.
3. Clipping of turbocharger.
   • 2008 February 17, Don Sherman, “More Power? Add Pressure”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     Superchargers are generally heavier and more expensive than turbos […]

4. Clipping of turbojet.
5. Clipping of turbomolecular pump.

Derived terms

• turbo broiler
• turbo mode

Etymology 2

From turbocharged (“increased power”). Also figurative, from the action of a turbocharger, which increases the speed of an automobile through the increase in power of an engine.

Noun

turbo (plural turbos)

1. (video games) Autofire.

   Controllers with turbo features are banned from most competitive tournaments.

Adjective

turbo (not comparable)

1. (said of a poker tournament) With rapidly-increasing blind levels.

   This is a turbo tournament: the blinds increase every 5 minutes! Level 1 = 150/300; level 2 = 200/400; etc.

2. (computing, video games) Causing or relating to increased speed.

   a turbo button on a controller; a PC equipped with a turbo mode

3. (informal, nonstandard) Very, super, etc.; usually relating to a qualitative value (as opposed to quantitative).

   They act turbo wasted when they have more than a few beers in them.

Verb

turbo (third-person singular simple present turbos, present participle turboing, simple past and past participle turboed)

1. (video games) To autofire.

Derived terms

• e-turbo
• turbo cancer
• turbo chook
• turbo controller
• Turbo Diesel
• turbo mode
• turbo roundabout
• turbo trainer
• turbo yeast

Etymology 3

From the New Latin name of the genus Turbo.

Noun

turbo (plural turbos)

1. (malacology) A turban shell.

Czech

Etymology

Derived from Latin turbo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈturbo]

Noun

turbo n

1. turbo

Declension

Declension of turbo (hard neuter reducible)

	singular	plural
nominative	turbo	turba
genitive	turba	turb
dative	turbu	turbům
accusative	turbo	turba
vocative	turbo	turba
locative	turbu	turbech
instrumental	turbem	turby

Related terms

Related terms

• disturbance
• turbína
• turbodmychadlo
• turbogenerátor
• turbulence
• turbulentní

Further reading

• “turbo”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
• “turbo”, in Akademický slovník cizích slov at prirucka.ujc.cas.cz [Academic dictionary of foreign words] (in Czech), 1995
• “turbo”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Esperanto

Etymology

Etymology tree

Ancient Greek τύρβη (túrbē)bor.?

Latin turba

Latin -ō

Latin turbobor.

Esperanto turbo

Borrowed from Latin turbo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈturbo/
• Rhymes: -urbo
• Syllabification: tur‧bo

Noun

turbo (accusative singular turbon, plural turboj, accusative plural turbojn)

1. spinning top
   • 1916, L'Amerika Esperantisto, page 53:

     […] dum sur la pupitro antaŭ li estis videblaj diversaj kontrabandaj objektoj kaj malpermesitaj bataliloj, trovitaj ĉe maldiligentaj buboj; ekzemple duon-manĝitaj pomoj, blovpafiloj, turboj, muŝkaptiloj kaj tutaj legioj da batalpretaj vetkoketoi^[sic] el papero.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1923, British Esperantist, page 9:

     Kelkaj knaboj ŝatas multe
     Brikojn, turbojn, kaj pafilojn.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading

• “turbo”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “turbo”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Finnish

Etymology

From English turbo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈturbo/, [ˈt̪urbo̞]
• Rhymes: -urbo
• Syllabification^(key): tur‧bo
• Hyphenation^(key): tur‧bo

Noun

turbo

1. turbo

Declension

Inflection of turbo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		turbo	turbot
genitive		turbon	turbojen
partitive		turboa	turboja
illative		turboon	turboihin
		singular	plural
nominative		turbo	turbot
accusative	nom.	turbo	turbot
	gen.	turbon
genitive		turbon	turbojen
partitive		turboa	turboja
inessive		turbossa	turboissa
elative		turbosta	turboista
illative		turboon	turboihin
adessive		turbolla	turboilla
ablative		turbolta	turboilta
allative		turbolle	turboille
essive		turbona	turboina
translative		turboksi	turboiksi
abessive		turbotta	turboitta
instructive		—	turboin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of turbo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative turboni turboni accusative nom. turboni turboni gen. turboni genitive turboni turbojeni partitive turboani turbojani inessive turbossani turboissani elative turbostani turboistani illative turbooni turboihini adessive turbollani turboillani ablative turboltani turboiltani allative turbolleni turboilleni essive turbonani turboinani translative turbokseni turboikseni abessive turbottani turboittani instructive — — comitative — turboineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative turbosi turbosi accusative nom. turbosi turbosi gen. turbosi genitive turbosi turbojesi partitive turboasi turbojasi inessive turbossasi turboissasi elative turbostasi turboistasi illative turboosi turboihisi adessive turbollasi turboillasi ablative turboltasi turboiltasi allative turbollesi turboillesi essive turbonasi turboinasi translative turboksesi turboiksesi abessive turbottasi turboittasi instructive — — comitative — turboinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative turbomme turbomme accusative nom. turbomme turbomme gen. turbomme genitive turbomme turbojemme partitive turboamme turbojamme inessive turbossamme turboissamme elative turbostamme turboistamme illative turboomme turboihimme adessive turbollamme turboillamme ablative turboltamme turboiltamme allative turbollemme turboillemme essive turbonamme turboinamme translative turboksemme turboiksemme abessive turbottamme turboittamme instructive — — comitative — turboinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative turbonne turbonne accusative nom. turbonne turbonne gen. turbonne genitive turbonne turbojenne partitive turboanne turbojanne inessive turbossanne turboissanne elative turbostanne turboistanne illative turboonne turboihinne adessive turbollanne turboillanne ablative turboltanne turboiltanne allative turbollenne turboillenne essive turbonanne turboinanne translative turboksenne turboiksenne abessive turbottanne turboittanne instructive — — comitative — turboinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative turbonsa turbonsa accusative nom. turbonsa turbonsa gen. turbonsa genitive turbonsa turbojensa partitive turboaan turboansa turbojaan turbojansa inessive turbossaan turbossansa turboissaan turboissansa elative turbostaan turbostansa turboistaan turboistansa illative turboonsa turboihinsa adessive turbollaan turbollansa turboillaan turboillansa ablative turboltaan turboltansa turboiltaan turboiltansa allative turbolleen turbollensa turboilleen turboillensa essive turbonaan turbonansa turboinaan turboinansa translative turbokseen turboksensa turboikseen turboiksensa abessive turbottaan turbottansa turboittaan turboittansa instructive — — comitative — turboineen turboinensa

Derived terms

• turboahdettu
• turboahdin
• turboahtaa
• turbogeneraattori
• turbokone
• turbomoottori

Further reading

• “turbo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtur.bo/
• Rhymes: -urbo
• Hyphenation: tùr‧bo

Verb

turbo

1. first-person singular present indicative of turbare

Anagrams

• Bruto, bruto

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈtʊr.boː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈtur.bo]

Etymology 1

From turba + -ō (nominal suffix).

Noun

turbō m (genitive turbinis); third declension

2. tornado, whirlwind

   Synonyms: tempestās, procella

3. spinning top, wheel
4. spinning motion

Declension

Third-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	turbō	turbinēs
genitive	turbinis	turbinum
dative	turbinī	turbinibus
accusative	turbinem	turbinēs
ablative	turbine	turbinibus
vocative	turbō	turbinēs

Descendants

• Italo-Dalmatian:
  • Italian: turbine
  • Sicilian: tùrbinu
• Gascon: torb ⇒ estorbilh
• Languedocien: estervelh
• Old Leonese:
  • Asturian: torbón, turbón
• Old French: torbeil
  • ⇒ French: tourbillon
• Old Galician-Portuguese: torvon
  • Portuguese: trovão
  • Galician: trebón
• Old Spanish: turbón
  • Spanish: turbón, turbión, tolvanera
• ⇒ Vulgar Latin: *turbininus
  • Catalan: terbolí
  • Asturian: torbolín, terbulín
  • Old Spanish: torbelino, torbenino
    • Spanish: torbellino
• Piedmontese: turbij
• Borrowings:
  • → Catalan: torb
  • → French: turbine
    • → Catalan: turbina
    • → Danish: turbine
    • → English: turbine
    • → Galician: turbina
    • → Italian: turbina
    • → Norwegian Bokmål: turbin
    • → Norwegian Nynorsk: turbin
    • → Portuguese: turbina
    • → Serbo-Croatian: turbína, турби́на
    • → Spanish: turbina
    • → Vietnamese: tua bin

Etymology 2

From turba + -ō (verbal suffix).

Verb

turbō (present infinitive turbāre, perfect active turbāvī, supine turbātum); first conjugation

2. to disturb, unsettle, agitate, perturb

   Synonyms: perturbō, sollicitō, agitō, angō, concitō, disturbō, īnfestō, percieō, concieō, cieō, irrītō, stimulō, ēvertō, peragō, occīdō, agō, moveō, versō, ūrō

   Antonym: cōnsōlor

   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.514–515:

     [...] avidī coniungere dextrās
     ārdēbant; sed rēs animōs incognita turbat.

     Ardently [Aeneas and Achates] desire to clasp the hands [of their comrades]; however, the strange happenings unsettle [their] spirits.

3. to upset

Conjugation

   Conjugation of turbō (first conjugation)

indicative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	turbō		turbās		turbat		turbāmus		turbātis		turbant
	imperfect	turbābam		turbābās		turbābat		turbābāmus		turbābātis		turbābant
	future	turbābō		turbābis		turbābit		turbābimus		turbābitis		turbābunt
	perfect	turbāvī		turbāvistī		turbāvit		turbāvimus		turbāvistis		turbāvērunt, turbāvēre
	pluperfect	turbāveram		turbāverās		turbāverat		turbāverāmus		turbāverātis		turbāverant
	future perfect	turbāverō		turbāveris		turbāverit		turbāverimus		turbāveritis		turbāverint
	sigmatic future1	turbāssō		turbāssis		turbāssit		turbāssimus		turbāssitis		turbāssint
passive	present	turbor		turbāris, turbāre		turbātur		turbāmur		turbāminī		turbantur
	imperfect	turbābar		turbābāris, turbābāre		turbābātur		turbābāmur		turbābāminī		turbābantur
	future	turbābor		turbāberis, turbābere		turbābitur		turbābimur		turbābiminī		turbābuntur
	perfect	turbātus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	turbātus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	turbātus + future active indicative of sum
	sigmatic future1	turbāssor		turbāsseris		turbāssitur		—		—		—
subjunctive		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	turbem		turbēs		turbet		turbēmus		turbētis		turbent
	imperfect	turbārem		turbārēs		turbāret		turbārēmus		turbārētis		turbārent
	perfect	turbāverim		turbāverīs		turbāverit		turbāverīmus		turbāverītis		turbāverint
	pluperfect	turbāvissem		turbāvissēs		turbāvisset		turbāvissēmus		turbāvissētis		turbāvissent
	sigmatic aorist1	turbāssim		turbāssīs		turbāssīt		turbāssīmus		turbāssītis		turbāssint
passive	present	turber		turbēris, turbēre		turbētur		turbēmur		turbēminī		turbentur
	imperfect	turbārer		turbārēris, turbārēre		turbārētur		turbārēmur		turbārēminī		turbārentur
	perfect	turbātus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	turbātus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	—		turbā		—		—		turbāte		—
	future	—		turbātō		turbātō		—		turbātōte		turbantō
passive	present	—		turbāre		—		—		turbāminī		—
	future	—		turbātor		turbātor		—		—		turbantor
non-finite forms		infinitive						participle
		active			passive			active			passive
present		turbāre			turbārī			turbāns			—
future		turbātūrum esse			turbātum īrī			turbātūrus			turbandus
perfect		turbāvisse			turbātum esse			—			turbātus
future perfect		—			turbātum fore			—			—
perfect potential		turbātūrum fuisse			—			—			—
verbal nouns		gerund								supine
		genitive		dative		accusative		ablative		accusative		ablative
		turbandī		turbandō		turbandum		turbandō		turbātum		turbātū

¹At least one use of the Old Latin "sigmatic future" and "sigmatic aorist" tenses is attested, which are used by Old Latin writers; most notably Plautus and Terence. The sigmatic future is generally ascribed a future or future perfect meaning, while the sigmatic aorist expresses a possible desire ("might want to"). It is also attested as having a rare sigmatic future passive indicative form ("will have been"), which is not attested in the plural for any verb.

Derived terms

• conturbō
• disturbō
• exturbō
• masturbātiō
• masturbor
• perturbō
• turbātiō
• turbellae

Descendants

• Balkan Romance:
  • Aromanian: turbu, turbedz, turbedzu, nturbu, trub, trubu, turbari
  • Romanian: turba, turbare
• → Albanian: tërboj
• Catalan: torbar
• Galician: turbar, turbiar
• Italian: turbare
• → Polish: turbować
  • → Ukrainian: турбува́ти (turbuváty)
  • → Belarusian: турбава́ць (turbavácʹ)
• Portuguese: turbar, turvar, torvar
• Sardinian: trubare, truvare, turbare, turvare
• Spanish: turbar

References

• “turbo”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “turbo”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "turbo", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “turbo”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book‎^[3], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • there is a storm at sea: mare ventorum vi agitatur et turbatur
    
  • to upset a person: alicuius mentem turbare, conturbare, perturbare
    
  • to cause universal disorder: omnia turbare ac miscere
    
  • to break the ranks: ordines turbare, perrumpere
    
  • to throw the rearguard into confusion: novissimos turbare
    
  • (ambiguous) a demagogue, agitator: plebis dux, vulgi turbator, civis turbulentus, civis rerum novarum cupidus
    
• “turbo”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “turbo”, in William Smith, editor (1848), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray
• “turbo”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Portuguese

Verb

turbo

1. first-person singular present indicative of turbar

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtuɾbo/ [ˈt̪uɾ.β̞o]
• Rhymes: -uɾbo
• Syllabification: tur‧bo

Etymology 1

Clipping of turbocompresor.

Adjective

turbo (invariable)
turbo (feminine turba, masculine plural turbos, feminine plural turbas)

1. turbo

Noun

turbo m (plural turbos)

1. turbo

Etymology 2

Verb

turbo

1. first-person singular present indicative of turbar

Further reading

• “turbo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Noun

turbo c

1. (often in compounds) turbo ((gas) turbine, especially in an internal combustion engine, sometimes of the entire engine or vehicle)
2. (colloquial, in compounds) turbo (something fast, powerful, or the like)

Declension

Declension of turbo

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	turbo	turbos
	definite	turbon	turbons
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

Derived terms

• turbojetmotor
• turbotorsk

References

• “turbo”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “turbo”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “turbo”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)