Benz

¹

[ bents; English benz ]

noun

1. Karl, 1844–1929, German automotive engineer and manufacturer.

benz-

²

1. variant of benzo- before a vowel:

   benzaldehyde.

Benz

/ bɛnts; bɛnz /

noun

1. BenzKarl (Friedrich)18441929MGermanTECHNOLOGY: engineerTECHNOLOGY: car designer Karl ( Friedrich ) (karl). 1844–1929, German engineer; designed and built the first car to be driven by an internal-combustion engine (1885)

Example Sentences

Many of the continent’s biggest names, including Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and BMW have seen their profits tumble this year.

From BBC

A 1921 Talbot Darracq and a 1952 Mercedes Benz 220 Type A convertible had been the pride and joy of their late owner, but were hidden away and gathering dust near Framlingham, Suffolk.

From BBC

American lawyer Jeffrey Benz was on the CAS panel at the 2022 Beijing Olympics that let 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva continue to compete despite a pre-games positive test.

From Seattle Times

Bella Murekatete had eight points and 10 rebounds, which gave her 899 boards, tying Kate Benz for the program record.

From Seattle Times

Unfortunately, this big Benz has a tiny trunk.

From Seattle Times

About This Word

What else does benz mean?

Frequently found in hip-hop lyrics, Benz is short for Mercedes-Benz, a German luxury car.

Where does benz come from?

Seen as symbols of wealth and success, luxury cars have long been a staple of hip-hop. Mercedes-Benz—founded in 1926 by Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz—is no exception. Often referred to simply as Benz in lyrics, the car has made its way into countless tracks going back all the way to the 1980s.

In 2016, an analysis by British financial services company GoCompare determined that Mercedes-Benz was the most rapped about car brand. And it wasn’t even close: Topping out at 3,238 mentions in their sample, the German car got double that of its second-place competitor, Bentley.

Notable artists in the 2000s rapping about Benz include J. Cole, Mac Miller, DJ Khaled, and many, many others.

How is benz used in real life?

While Benz may be abundant in hip-hop, it’s also used in everyday speech and writing, maybe influenced by hip-hop.

On social media, people may drop Benz to show off their wheels, to admire the car, or to make a joke about the brand’s association with luxury.

Bought my 1st Benz. Ballin' pic.twitter.com/Pnh9SYwX8y

— JD (@JasonInTheH) October 12, 2018

Check out my legadis benz 2018 model pic.twitter.com/ihjVu1T5bG

— Dammy the Yoruba Northerner (@sofly_vicj) October 12, 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.