automobile
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
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
The Ojai is manufactured for Waymo by Zeekr, a Chinese automobile company.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Credit-card delinquencies are at “Great Recession” levels, and subprime automobile repossessions are the highest since 2009.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
Born Clarence Johnson in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 1910, Johnson studied aeronautics at the University of Michigan and spent time in wind tunnels learning about locomotive and automobile design.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
“What if he gets into an automobile, Salvador?”
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
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.
