For the philosophical/theological concept of a prime mover (that is, a self-created being that is the ultimate cause or "mover" of all things), see cosmological argument.

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The term prime mover is used to describe the main mechanical power source of any number of devices. For instance, the engine in a semi-trailer is sometimes referred to as a prime mover, although the term is much more common in industrial applications such as oil wells and ships.

The term may also be used to describe an entire vehicle in the case of semi-trailer tractors, although this usage is more typically used in military settings. In a military context, the unit used to haul an artillery piece is generally referred to as its prime mover. For instance, the US Army refers to their Humvees used to tow howitzers as prime movers.

In diesel-electric locomotives, prime mover refers to the diesel engine that drives the generator or alternator. In this case the traction motors are considered part of the transmission rather than prime movers themselves.

The term in contemporary language

As can seen above, the term proves quite versatile. Besides the rather mechanical connotation of the term (engines, vehicles), and besides the cosmological/theological/philosophical meaning of it (god/godess/principle in philosophy; cf. Aristotle), prime mover goes along with a huge variety of meanings and uses.

The term may also be used in the context of human beings. Individuals can be described as prime movers (inventors, industrial or military leaders, cf. "The Prime Movers - Traits of the great wealth creators", Edwin A. Locke, 2000) as well as groups of people (companies, cf. "Prime Movers - Define your business or have somebody define it against you", Rafael Ramirez and Johan Wallin, 2000) or creative groups of artists, cf. "Prime Movers - The makers of modern dance in America" Joseph H. Mazo, 2000).

The mindset in this rather psychological or sociological application can be named prime movership (cf. "Reframing Landscape - How the map changes the landscape", Richard Normann, 2001). Not only on the psychological side, the term is in use. It also can be found in the context of physics. Muscles, which are decisive for sports performance or crafts are called prime movers (cf. "Prime Mover - A natural history of muscle", by Steven Vogel, 2001). The human brain is being described as the prime mover for the evolution of mankind.

Hence, various publications make use of the term prime mover in their titles.

An important aspect is the use as a meme, which came most probably emerged with the industrialization, where machines/prime movers themselves became the driving force of progress (machining tools, drives, locomotives, ships, cars.

Groups or individuals use the notion as a corporate or individual claim, to be prime movers in their line of business or activity (examples: a psychedilic band of the 80ies: The Prime Movers, a world leading producer of large Diesel engines; MAN B&W Diesel AG, companies removing furniture; Prime Movers etc.).

The driving force within an individual or group of people or a state of being is sometimes named with the latin term of a primum movens or "primum mobile". Prime Movership stands for the quality of being a prime mover, i. e. the first to move, to create or to reach a state, which has not been reached by many or others at all before. Prime Movership has been specifically defined as "the mind-set of value creation" (cf. Richard Norman, "Reframing Business - How the Map changes the landscape", 2001).