automobile

American  

[aw-tuh-muh-beel, aw-tuh-muh-beel, aw-tuh-moh-beel, -buhl] / ˌɔ tə məˈbil, ˈɔ tə məˌbil, ˌɔ təˈmoʊ bil, -bəl /

noun

• automobiles
  plural

1. a passenger vehicle designed for operation on ordinary roads and typically having four wheels and a gasoline or diesel internal-combustion engine.

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adjective

1. of or relating to automobiles; automotive.

automobile British  

/ ˈɔːtəməˌbiːl /

noun

1. another word (esp US) for car

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• automobilist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• automobiles
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of automobile

1865–70; < French: literally, self-movable (vehicle). See auto- ¹, mobile

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

automobile automobiles

All metro and automobile traffic is now suspended across the bridge, causing major delays across the city.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

While AI plays might be back in vogue, utilities have struggled, as have consumer discretionary stocks, including names tied to automobile components, textiles and luxury goods, he said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

“In light of evolving societal norms, the Commissioner deems there is insufficient justification for the continued use of marital status in automobile insurance rating,” the filing stated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

One is called QNX—a technology platform for operating critical automobile safety systems, which powers 275 million cars around the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

My best friend Jeb and I used to sit at that crossroads when we were younger, waiting for something interesting to come along, like an automobile or a circus wagon.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

“Using AI to autonomously operate automobiles, trucks, and drones, as well as other industrial automation initiatives, represent a $400 billion market opportunity by increasing equipment uptime while reducing training and operating costs,” they said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

On 8,000 acres in Michigan, Ford’s researchers planted 300 soybean varieties and searched for ways to incorporate the harvest into automobiles.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

One of these automobiles could come cruising into her life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Founded in the 19th century by Jewish brothers Loeb and Moses Simson in Suhl, Thuringia, it grew into a thriving industrial firm that made firearms but also bicycles and luxury automobiles.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

But in the countryside the new automobiles were as unreal as short dresses, and those who were just emerging from the invasion of snails and hoof-and-mouth disease simply viewed it as a good year.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

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Related Words

• auto
• bus
• convertible
• limousine
• passenger car
• pickup truck
• sports car
• station wagon
• taxi
• transportation
• truck
• van

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