automobile
Americannoun
-
automobiles
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of automobile
1865–70; < French: literally, self-movable (vehicle). See auto- 1, mobile
Explanation
An automobile is a car: a vehicle with four wheels and an internal combustion engine. The automobile is one of the most common ways to travel. Thanks in part to Henry Ford, automobiles are just about everywhere: in cities, small towns, and even in rural areas, where it's too far to walk from place to place and there's very little public transportation. Trucks, vans, buses, and limousines are bigger than the typical automobile, but they’re automobiles, too. A motorcycle isn't an automobile because it only has two wheels. Automobiles are good for getting around, but they also cause pollution and automobile accidents.
Vocabulary lists containing automobile
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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Frankenwords: Words with Roots from Different Languages
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: auto-
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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.
See Examples For:
Canada has been in pursuit of a deal that would see the US drop or reduce tariffs on its steel, aluminium, automobile and lumber sectors, all of which have been damaging to the country's economy.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Today’s automobile knows where you go, when you go there and sometimes even who travels with you.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
When someone else is at fault for an automobile accident, Medicare will pay your accident-related medical bills in the first instance so you’re not out of pocket.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
Most humanoid robots are currently used for industrial applications in confined spaces, such as automobile factories or storage warehouses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
I hurried to the shiny black automobile beside which she was standing.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The U.S. imposed this new tariff, it said, because of alleged Canadian mistreatment of U.S. automobiles, wines and spirits, and dairy products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
If the deal had gone into effect, U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built automobiles had been expected to drop to 15% from 25%, in what would have been a win for the Detroit carmakers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
In addition, U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built automobiles are due to decrease to 15% from 25%, according to multiple published reports.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Details leaked to several media outlets suggest the US will agree to reduce tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium from 50% to 25%, and tariffs on Canadian automobiles from 25% to 15%.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Deacon Boyd looks at Mr. Malloy’s car and says, “I’m going to get me one of these automobiles now that General Motors is making Fords again.”
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
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.
