Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for autobahn. Search instead for autobahns.

autobahn

American  
[aw-tuh-bahn, ou-taw-bahn] / ˈɔ təˌbɑn, ˈaʊ tɔˌbɑn /

noun

plural

autobahns,

plural

autobahnen
  1. (in Germany and Austria) a superhighway; expressway.


autobahn British  
/ ˈɔːtəˌbɑːn /

noun

  1. a motorway in German-speaking countries

"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 autobahn

1935–40; < German, equivalent to Auto auto + Bahn road, way

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.

Mr. Miller’s idea of creating segregated lanes or pursuing similar infrastructural innovation for self-driving cars could be worthwhile if we want, say, a high-speed autonomous autobahn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

Unlike elsewhere on the autobahn, the median strip on this 3.5-mile section isn’t grassy but solid tarmac.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Volkswagen shut down assembly lines churning out its popular Golf hatchbacks and converted the factory, which has its own exit on the autobahn, to make six electric models.

From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2024

The youth movement is calling on the government to adhere to the climate targets enshrined in the Paris Agreement, arguing that massive investments in new autobahn projects should be stopped and redirected to low-emission alternatives.

From Reuters • Feb. 28, 2023

Around 8,500 cyclists prevented motorists from using a stretch of Germany's autobahn on Sunday, during a protest calling for better public transport and cycle lanes.

From BBC • Aug. 28, 2022