chauffeur
Americannoun
-
a person employed to drive a private automobile or limousine for the owner.
-
a person employed to drive a car or limousine that transports paying passengers.
verb (used with object)
-
to drive (a vehicle) as a chauffeur.
-
to transport by car.
Saturday mornings I have to chauffeur the kids to their music lessons.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have chauffeuredperfect
-
has chauffeuredperfect 3rd person singular
-
is chauffeuringprogressive 3rd person singular
-
have been chauffeuringperfect progressive
-
are chauffeuringprogressive
-
am chauffeuringprogressive 1st person singular
-
has been chauffeuringperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
chauffeurssingular 3rd person
-
chauffeuringparticiple
Past
-
had chauffeuredperfect
-
was chauffeuringprogressive singular
-
had been chauffeuringperfect progressive
-
were chauffeuringprogressive plural
-
chauffeuredsimple
-
chauffeuredparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of chauffeur
1895–1900; < French, equivalent to chauff(er ) to heat ( see chafe) + -eur -eur
Explanation
Do you pay someone to drive you around? Then you have a private chauffeur. Chauffeur literally means "operator of a steam engine" in French, but they used it as a nickname for the first motorists who drove steam engine cars. Today chauffeurs are just the guys you pay to drive you around, like the chauffeur of a limo. Chauffeur can also be used as a verb: once you get your driver's license, your parents will be happy to not have to chauffeur you back and forth to school.
Vocabulary lists containing chauffeur
English Words Derived from French, List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 10
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Confederacy of Dunces
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The man needs a chauffeur more than group therapy.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
Done up in a luscious dark-red paint scheme, it has a removable roof over the front seats, putting your chauffeur out in the elements while you sit in back, away from prying eyes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
Nevertheless, the unseen chauffeur cues “Billie Jean” again on the stereo.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026
Last week, Adeniyi Kayode, 46, the chauffeur who was driving the Lexus SUV, appeared in court in Nigeria and has been charged with four offences, including causing death by dangerous driving.
From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026
Behind him was the chauffeur carrying a basket of champagne.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
