chassis

American  

[chas-ee, -is, shas-ee] / ˈtʃæs i, -ɪs, ˈʃæs i /

noun

plural

chassis

1. Automotive. the frame, wheels, and machinery of a motor vehicle, on which the body is supported.

2. Ordnance. the frame or railway on which a gun carriage moves backward and forward.

3. the main landing gear of an aircraft; that portion of the landing gear that supports an aircraft.

4. Radio and Television. a frame for mounting the circuit components of a radio or television set.

5. a construction forming the sides, top, and bottom of a cabinet, showcase, or the like.

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chassis British  

/ ˈʃæsɪ /

noun

1. the steel frame, wheels, engine, and mechanical parts of a motor vehicle, to which the body is attached

2. electronics a mounting for the circuit components of an electrical or electronic device, such as a radio or television

3. the landing gear of an aircraft

4. obsolete a wooden framework for a window, screen, etc

5. the frame on which a cannon carriage moves backwards and forwards

6. slang the body of a person, esp a woman

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Etymology

Origin of chassis

1655–65; < French châssis frame; akin to chase ²

Explanation

A chassis is the frame of a car. If you warp the chassis of your mom’s car when you make a Dukes of Hazzard jump, she's going to be mad. Pronounce chassis CHASS-ee (singular) and CHASS-eez (plural). Chassis comes from the Latin capsa, meaning box. In the 1600s, chassis referred to window frames, and starting with early automobile production, acquired its dominant meaning, i.e., the box that is the frame for the car. It also means other kinds of frame/boxes too — if you have a radio or a stereo, the outside box is called a chassis.

Example Sentences

The race report from Suzuka actually mentioned that more than half Aston Martin's deficit to the front was caused by the chassis.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

The chassis forms the framework of the diaper, and the part of it that sits against the baby’s skin needs to be soft and nonirritating.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

The engine rules were changed to attract new manufacturers - successfully - and only afterwards was it realised that the chassis rules would be problematic.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

The bill would eliminate the requirement that a manufactured home must be built with a permanent chassis, which allows the house to be moved.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

There are other men below hauling the engine in, as a chassis rolls out to meet it.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• frame
• undercarriage