automobile
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of automobile
1865–70; < French: literally, self-movable (vehicle). See auto- 1, mobile
Explanation
An automobile is a car: a vehicle with four wheels and an internal combustion engine. The automobile is one of the most common ways to travel. Thanks in part to Henry Ford, automobiles are just about everywhere: in cities, small towns, and even in rural areas, where it's too far to walk from place to place and there's very little public transportation. Trucks, vans, buses, and limousines are bigger than the typical automobile, but they’re automobiles, too. A motorcycle isn't an automobile because it only has two wheels. Automobiles are good for getting around, but they also cause pollution and automobile accidents.
Vocabulary lists containing automobile
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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Frankenwords: Words with Roots from Different Languages
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: auto-
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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.
Taking historical precedents for the build-out of new technologies into account, like the development of railroads or the automobile industry, the Goldman team thinks a more realistic figure for next year is $1.1 trillion.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
The administration isn’t driving around in fancy cars — Neville doesn’t even own an automobile and Den Herder shares one with her husband.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Greer has concluded the latest round of formal bilateral talks with Mexico, but negotiations with Canada have lagged behind, with the two sides appearing at odds over sector-specific tariffs and automobile manufacturing.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
In Mexico, Chinese investment in industries such as the automobile sector generated more than 100,000 jobs from 2020 to 2023, according to one analysis.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
The wagon and the automobile were out in the street.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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.
