autorickshaw

American

[aw-toh-rik-shaw, ‐-rik-shah] / ˌɔ toʊˈrɪk ʃɔ, ‐ˈrɪk ʃɑ /

Or auto rickshaw

noun

(especially in South Asia) a motorized three-wheeled public conveyance, as a converted motorcycle, typically one having a two-passenger hooded cab mounted behind the driver.

autorickshaw British

/ ˈɔːtəʊˈrɪkʃɔː /

noun

(in India) a light three-wheeled vehicle driven by a motorcycle engine

"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 autorickshaw

First recorded in 1955–60; auto- ² ( def. ) + rickshaw ( def. )

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.

Ramnaresh Yadav sold his autorickshaw two weeks ago before returning to his village near Bihar's Chhapra town.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Sarvjeet Singh, a 48-year-old autorickshaw driver, said the smog was hurting his eyes and he was finding it difficult to breathe.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 4, 2022

"I have been in line for four days, I haven't slept or eaten properly during this time," said autorickshaw driver W.D.

From Reuters • Jun. 27, 2022

Rickshaws also have a distinct appearance—a classic autorickshaw, for instance, is yellow and green—and Amazon’s rickshaws look, well, like pointier versions of the sleek gray Amazon vans.

From Slate • Jan. 24, 2020

If he kept his oft-repeated pledge to autorickshaw drivers, for instance, he would infuriate middle-class commuters, and vice versa.

From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023