bullet train

American  

noun

bullet trains plural

1. a high-speed passenger train, as on certain routes in Japan.

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bullet train British  

noun

1. a passenger train that travels at very high speed

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bullet trains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bullet train

Koike hopes to do in 15 days what takes other manufacturers 50, charging extra for an express service like Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

But the silent engine isn’t a bullet train.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

One of Japan's busiest bullet train lines came to a halt after a snake tangled itself in a power line, causing a power outage.

From BBC ● May 1, 2025

These days, there’s also the still nonexistent, so-called bullet train.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2024

Rafik wanted to be reborn in Japan so he could ride the bullet train.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye