ATV

American  

1. all-terrain vehicle.

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ATV British  

abbreviation

1. all-terrain vehicle: a vehicle with treads or wheels designed to travel on rough uneven ground

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Usage

What is an ATV? ATV is an abbreviation for all-terrain vehicle, a vehicle with specialized treads and/or wheels that allows it to travel on off-road terrain. ATVs 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. ATVs are typically designed for one person, though some can accommodate two riders. ATV is used as a noun, as in My cousin and I used to race ATVs in the hills near our neighbourhood. ATV is a common way to refer to such a vehicle—it’s more common to call it an ATV than to say all-terrain vehicle. 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 ATV to cross those rocky paths.

Example Sentences

For example, an ATV and walk-behind tractor are now on the farm -- both far less energy-intensive than the typical tractor.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

In 1985, when ATV came up for sale, he moved quickly, paying about $47.5 million for the catalog, including the Lennon-McCartney works and thousands more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

By traveling along with all that — and Sharon’s cancer recovery, and Ozzy’s recuperation from an ATV accident — the attention economy shifted.

From Salon • Jul. 24, 2025

The fall had aggravated an injury sustained in a near-fatal 2003 ATV accident.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 22, 2025

There wasn’t room on his or Thompson’s small machine to haul the dead person out, however, nor was there space on the Anchorage couple s ATV.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer