continuously variable transmission: Meaning and Definition of

contin'uously var'iable transmis'sion

Pronunciation: [key]
— Auto., Mach. Auto.,Mach.
  1. a transmission, typically using rubber belts and pulleys, in which the ratio of the rotational speeds of two shafts, as the drive shaft and driven shaft of a vehicle, can be varied continuously within a given range, providing an infinite number of possible ratios. Abbr.: CVT
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.