carriage

American  

[kar-ij, kar-ee-ij] / ˈkær ɪdʒ, ˈkær i ɪdʒ /

noun

1. a wheeled vehicle for conveying persons, as one drawn by horses and designed for comfort and elegance.

   Synonyms:

   wagon, car, cart

2. baby carriage.

3. British. a railway passenger coach.

4. a wheeled support, as for a cannon.

5. a movable part, as of a machine, designed for carrying something.

6. manner of carrying the head and body; bearing.

   the carriage of a soldier.

   Synonyms:

   air, demeanor, comportment, mien

7. Also called carriage piece,.  Also called horse.  an inclined beam, as a string, supporting the steps of a stair.

8. the act of transporting; conveyance.

   the expenses of carriage.

9. the price or cost of transportation.

10. (in a typewriter) the moving part carrying the platen and its associated parts, usually set in motion to carry the paper across the point where the print element or type bars strike.

11. management; administration.

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carriage British  

/ ˈkærɪdʒ /

noun

1. a railway coach for passengers

2. the manner in which a person holds and moves his head and body; bearing

3. a four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for persons

4. the moving part of a machine that bears another part

   a typewriter carriage

   a lathe carriage

5. 1. the act of conveying; carrying

   2. the charge made for conveying (esp in the phrases carriage forward, when the charge is to be paid by the receiver, and carriage paid )

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Etymology

Origin of carriage

1150–1200; Middle English cariage < Anglo-French, Old North French, equivalent to cari ( er ) to carry + -age -age

Explanation

A carriage is a vehicle with wheels that's usually pulled by horses. In some cities, you can go for a carriage ride through the park. A carriage generally has four wheels and is pulled by two or more horses, while the smaller cart tends to have two wheels and be pulled by a single horse. In Britain, you might hear people refer to the separate compartments of a train as carriages as well, and in some parts of the US it's used to mean "baby stroller" or "grocery cart." The Latin root is carrum, "two-wheeled war chariot."

Example Sentences

"Carriage six derailed due to a complete lack of continuity in the track," the preliminary report finds.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

The rules are included in an agreement called a Contract of Carriage that all customers must abide by in order to fly.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2025

A spokesperson for UK Parliament: "We are aware of an incident outside Carriage Gates. Parliamentary Security and the Metropolitan Police are present and managing the situation."

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2024

Carriage disputes, involving what cable or satellite customers will pay to carry specific networks on their systems, are not uncommon.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2023

Carriage doors open and a few men with suitcases step to the platform and hurry toward the gate.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• freight