The term "adiabatic" refers to a process in which no heat is exchanged with the surroundings. In an adiabatic system, any change in temperature occurs solely due to work done on or by the system. This concept is commonly applied in thermodynamics, particularly in the study of gases and their behavior under different conditions. An example of an adiabatic process is the compression of a gas in a cylinder. When the gas is compressed quickly, it heats up without any heat entering or leaving the system. This principle is essential in understanding how engines, such as internal combustion engines, operate efficiently.