Meanings
- uncountableengineeringA position in the cycle of a piston engine wherein the piston is at the topmost point in its stroke. In a four-stroke cycle, TDC occurs twice: at the end of the compression stroke and at the end of the exhaust stroke.
Synonyms: TDC · Antonyms: bottom dead center, BDC
- uncountableengineeringThe reference mark on a flywheel (and engine block) indicating the engine is in this position, when aligned.
Synonyms: TDC · Antonyms: bottom dead center, BDC
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA position in the cycle of a piston engine wherein the piston is at the topmost point in its stroke. In a four-stroke cycle, TDC occurs twice: at the end of the compression stroke and at the end of the exhaust stroke.
nounThe reference mark on a flywheel (and engine block) indicating the engine is in this position, when aligned.
Translations
Finnish yläkuolokohta
- yläkuolokohtapiston position
Russian ве́рхняя мёртвая то́чка
- ве́рхняя мёртвая то́чка (vérxnjaja mjórtvaja tóčka)piston position
Spanish punto muerto superior
- punto muerto superiorpiston position
Cite this entry
top dead center. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20dead%20center
“top dead center.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20dead%20center. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “top dead center,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/top%20dead%20center.
Source: top dead center on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.