Definition
An aircraft engine in which a gas turbine drives a propeller through a reduction gearbox. The turbine extracts energy from the hot expanding gases of combustion and converts most of that energy into shaft power to turn the propeller, with only a small amount of residual thrust coming from the exhaust.
Plain English
A jet-style engine that, instead of pushing the airplane along with its exhaust, uses its power to spin a propeller. The propeller does the work of moving the airplane through the air.
Context Anchor
Seen when studying turbine-powered airplanes, especially aircraft that use propellers but are powered by turbine engines rather than piston engines.
Derivation
A blend of 'turbine' and 'propeller.' The name tells you exactly what it is: a turbine engine driving a propeller.
Why Pilots Care
Turboprops deliver strong low-speed performance and fuel efficiency on shorter routes and runways where jets are less practical.
Intuition Check
Do not read “turboprop” as just another word for “jet.” A turboprop uses a turbine engine, but the propeller provides most of the force that moves the airplane.
Example Sentence 1
After flying piston singles for years, she began transition training in a turboprop and had to learn to manage the power lever and condition lever separately.
Example Sentence 2
During cruise the turboprop maintained a steady propeller speed while the turbine ran at high RPM through the gearbox.