front-wheel drive

American

[fruhnt hweel, -weel] / ˈfrʌnt ˌʰwil, -ˌwil /

noun

Automotive.

a drive system in which engine power is transmitted through the front wheels only.

Etymology

Origin of front-wheel drive

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

It is front-wheel drive, with independent front suspension, hydraulic brakes and pop-up headlights.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 2, 2025

In other words, the trains operate like an all-wheel drive rather than just a front-wheel drive.

From Science Daily • Jun. 19, 2024

The 2025 Camry will combine a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric drive system tuned to deliver more power in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions of the car, Toyota said.

From Reuters • Nov. 15, 2023

When equipped with front-wheel drive, which the BMW doesn’t offer, the GLB’s rating of 27 mpg combined still doesn’t top the X1.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2023

Chevy isn’t going light on the options for the Blazer EV: buyers can choose between front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive models.

From The Verge • Jul. 19, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023