Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "steamboat" jirgin ruwa ne da ake motsa shi da ƙarfin tururi. Yawanci, kwale-kwale na amfani da injin tururi don samar da wutar lantarki da ke tafiyar da keken jirgi ko farfela, wanda ke motsa jirgin ta cikin ruwa. An yi amfani da jiragen ruwa sosai a ƙarni na 19 don sufuri, musamman a kan koguna da hanyoyin ruwa na cikin ƙasa.