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• sedan
  sedan

  noun

  an enclosed automobile body having two or four doors and seating four or more persons on two full-width seats.
• Sedan
  Sedan

  noun

  a city in NE France, on the Meuse River: defeat and capture of Napoleon III 1870.

sedan

¹ American  

[si-dan] / sɪˈdæn /

noun

• sedans
  plural

1. an enclosed automobile body having two or four doors and seating four or more persons on two full-width seats.

2. sedan chair.

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Sedan ² American  

[si-dan, suh-dahn] / sɪˈdæn, səˈdɑ̃ /

noun

1. a city in NE France, on the Meuse River: defeat and capture of Napoleon III 1870.

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sedan ¹ British  

/ sɪˈdæn /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): saloon. a closed two-door or four-door car with four to six seats

2. short for sedan chair

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Sedan ² British  

/ sədɑ̃, sɪˈdæn /

noun

1. a town in NE France, on the River Meuse: passed to France in 1642; a Protestant stronghold (16th–17th centuries); scene of a French defeat (1870) during the Franco-Prussian War and of a battle (1940) in World War II, which began the German invasion of France. Pop: 20 548 (1999)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sedans
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sedan

First recorded in 1625–35; of obscure origin

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Explanation

A sedan is a car that seats at least four people. You might dream of getting a sports car when you're 16, but it's more likely that your parents will loan you the keys to their sedan. In the 17th century, a sedan was "a covered chair on poles," a fancy way for one person to ride, carried by at least four people. Today's sedan seats four, and it's powered by gasoline or electricity. Since about 1912, the word sedan has been used most often for talking about an automobile. The word is rooted in the Latin sedere, "sit."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sedan Sedan sedans

Some production cars, including Tesla’s performance Model S sedan, can do it under two seconds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

A man driving a white sedan fled south on PCH; officers spotted and detained him near the intersection of East 2nd Street and PCH, according to police.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

"Fuel is unavailable, there are huge queues everywhere," he told AFP from his motionless Toyota sedan after a one-and-a-half hour drive from the capital Ulaanbaatar.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

He also worked as a 'chairman' in nearby Bath, transporting sick and infirm people through the city's steep streets in wheelchairs and sedan chairs despite his own physical injuries.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026

When I got back to my grandfather’s house, a new Chevy sedan sat in the driveway.

From "Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe

Protests have also been reported in Marseille, the northern Lille area and Sedan in the north-eastern Ardennes.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Its lineup now consists of the Model Y SUV, the Model 3 Sedan and the Cybertruck pickup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

A community of about 900 people, Sedan has banned residents from using tap water for plants or lawns, forcing some to get creative.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 19, 2023

The vehicle appears to be a Kia Sedan with unknown tags.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 6, 2022

Its objective was to capture the critical railroad hub at the city of Sedan, which would break the rail network supporting the German army in France and Belgium.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

A plan to compete more directly against the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz with a lineup of crossover SUVs and sedans fell flat, and executives conceded the brand has failed to connect with younger drivers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Tesla said it delivered 478,237 Model Y and Model 3 cars between July and September, compared with 481,166 SUVs and sedans during the same time in 2025.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Barra, CEO since 2014, has drawn a hard line on money-losing ventures, from budget sedans and its now-shuttered robotaxi business to beleaguered international units in markets like Europe and India.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

This follows a strategic decision to kill off traditional sedans and hold the line on profits rather than chase volume, which is making the company more money and winning over Wall Street.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

These are the sedans used by team players for transportation around the city—but still, best not to arouse suspicions.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

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