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Synonyms

motor vehicle

American  
[moh-ter vee-i-kuhl, vee-hi-] / ˈmoʊ tər ˈvi ɪ kəl, ˈvi hɪ- /

noun

  1. an automobile, truck, bus, or similar motor-driven conveyance.

motor vehicle British  

noun

  1. a road vehicle driven by a motor or engine, esp an internal-combustion engine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of motor vehicle

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

Motor vehicle and parts wholesaler sales climbed 6.1% as supply-chain challenges eased.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Motor vehicle insurance rose 1.4 percent on a monthly basis in January alone and has risen 20.6 percent over the past year, the largest jump since 1976.

From New York Times • Feb. 29, 2024

Motor vehicle theft has been on the rise in California, but the highest rates of theft per capita are not in one of its biggest cities, Los Angeles, San Diego or San Francisco.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2023

Motor vehicle theft and theft from vehicles were the only areas of increase, records show.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2023

Motor vehicle and parts output accelerated 5.2% last month after declining 3.9% in June.

From Reuters • Aug. 16, 2023

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.