Was the steam engine the first engine?

Answer:
In this context, the modern term "engine" generally means some machine or device which turns energy stored in one form into mechanical motion.

As such, we generally do not consider a device an "engine" if it is powered by human or animal.

However, waterwheels generally can be considered the first type of engine; a water wheel converts the potential energy stored in moving water into rotating mechanical motion. The first known waterwheels were used by the Ancient Greeks (likely somewhere around 500-300 B.C.).
First answer by MAXFRO. Last edit by Trims. Contributor trust: 94 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question].