all-terrain vehicle
Americannoun
Usage
What is an all-terrain vehicle? An all-terrain vehicle is a vehicle with specialized treads and/or wheels that allows it to travel on off-road terrain. It is commonly abbreviated as ATV. It’s more common to call it an ATV than an all-terrain vehicle. All-terrain vehicles are designed to travel over rocks, snow, and other difficult terrain. In the U. S., the term typically refers to a vehicle that has four (or at least three) wheels, a straddle seat, and handlebars for steering. They are typically designed for one person, though some can accommodate two riders. The term quad is commonly used to refer to an ATV that has four wheels and is typically used for recreation. Example: You’d need an all-terrain vehicle to cross those rocky paths.
Etymology
Origin of all-terrain vehicle
First recorded in 1965–70
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.
Staged by the National All-Terrain Vehicle Association, the event was run over a treacherous 17-mile course.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
