auto
noun
auto
1 American
[aw-toh]
/ ˈɔ toʊ /
noun
autos
plural
adjective
auto-
2
American
auto-
3
American
auto-
4
American
auto.
5
American
abbreviation
-
automatic.
-
automobile.
-
automotive.
auto
1
British
/ ˈɔːtəʊ /
noun
-
-
short for automobile
-
( as modifier )
auto parts
-
-
informal short for autorickshaw
auto-
2
British
combining form
-
self; same; of or by the same one
autobiography
-
acting from or occurring within; self-caused
autohypnosis
-
self-propelling; automatic
automobile
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of auto1
An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; by shortening
Origin of auto-2
< Greek, combining form of autós self
Origin of auto-3
see origin at auto
Explanation
An auto is a car. If you drive your auto too fast, you might get a speeding ticket. The word auto is an informal, shortened form of automobile. You're most likely to hear the word auto when someone's talking about insurance, auto parts, or the auto industry. Automobile was originally a French word, formed from the Greek autos, or "self," and the French mobile, "moving."
Vocabulary lists containing auto
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Remnants of the old blue laws remain in some American states or localities where regulations place restrictions on the retail sale of alcohol on Sundays or—idiosyncratically—prohibit auto dealers from selling cars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Chinese carmakers recorded another jump in European monthly sales in June, solidifying their position as mighty competitors for local auto companies that are seeking to reinvigorate growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
We also want to get an auto pen so we can write handwritten cards for guests because it’s kind of hard to write perfect handwriting in different languages and in cursive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Tesla had impressed market watchers earlier this month when it released higher-than-expected second-quarter auto sales, due in part to a recovery in European markets.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Soon after that, he took me to an auto show, where I picked out a car in this really pretty turquoise blue.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
An auto- inflammatory disease is defined by chronic inflammation, unprovoked by an infection, when antibody concentrations are not high.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
So you used to be able to post to WordPress and we would auto- post to Tumblr, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc., and they turned off those API is after Cambridge Analytica.
From The Verge ● Aug. 14, 2019
“Yet while auto- and steelworkers generally shared some of the gains of their industries, the growers rarely got their piece of the pie,” Simon writes.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 1, 2017
Debating the question “is the iCar real?” has become a favorite barroom distraction for auto- and tech journos alike.
From Time ● Apr. 18, 2016
A regiment was passing through it in auto- buses.
From Over There War Scenes on the Western Front by Bennett, Arnold
The U.S. may be very competitive in automobile production, but it is so much more competitive in the production of microprocessors that it pays to import autos and export microprocessors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Competition is particularly fierce in sectors where scale matters, such as heat pumps or autos, said Clemens Fuest, president of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, a think tank.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
Jefferies analysts see autos as the “core fault line” in negotiations, as more than a fifth of USMCA-related trade is auto-related.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
The anticipated trade limbo threatens sectors like autos and agriculture, which rely on the pact for 30% of U.S. exports.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Our roads turned to mud, and the autos just couldn’t make it.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
