What does the number of cylinders in an engine mean?

[StPatrick]

Engine cylinders refer to the number of combustion chambers in the engine. The cylinders in an engine are cylindrical chambers where pistons move under the pressure or expansion force of the working fluid. The cylinder and cylinder head together form the combustion chamber. An engine typically has multiple cylinders, and the total working volume of all cylinders is called the engine displacement, measured in liters. Common engine cylinder configurations include 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 cylinders. Engines with displacement below 1 liter usually have 3 cylinders, 1 to 2.5-liter engines typically have 4 cylinders, around 3 liters often have 8 cylinders, and engines above 5.5 liters usually have 12 cylinders. With the same cylinder diameter, more cylinders mean greater displacement and higher power output.