cabriolet

[kab-ree-uh-ley]

noun

a light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage with a folding top, capable of seating two persons.
an automobile resembling a coupe but with a folding top.

Origin of cabriolet

1760–70; < French: literally, little caper; so called from its light movement. See cabriole, -et

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for cabriolet

Contemporary Examples of cabriolet

(A more upscale version, the cabriolet, or “cab,” was later imported from France).
Great Cities are Born Filthy
Will Doig
July 13, 2014

Historical Examples of cabriolet

I hired here, at a good price, a Hindu cabriolet, from a Kachmyrian.
The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ
Nicolas Notovitch
With that he sprang into the cabriolet without waiting for a reply.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
Although his cabriolet was already at the door, he had a few minutes to spare.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
What's this heavy old coach with a cabriolet over the rumble?
Diary And Notes Of Horace Templeton, Esq.
Charles James Lever
I would not have bartered the place in that cabriolet for the proudest throne in Europe.
A Day's Ride
Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for cabriolet

cabriolet

noun

a small two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with two seats and a folding hood
a former name for a drophead coupé

Word Origin for cabriolet

C18: from French, literally: a little skip, from cabriole, from Latin capreolus wild goat, from caper goat; referring to the lightness of movement

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

Word Origin and History for cabriolet

"light two-wheeled chaise," 1766, from French cabriolet (18c.), derivative of cabriole (see cab). So called from its light, leaping motion.