limousine
Americannoun
-
limousines
plural
-
any large, luxurious automobile, especially one driven by a chauffeur.
-
a large sedan or small bus, especially one for transporting passengers to and from an airport, between train stations, etc.
-
a former type of automobile having a permanently enclosed compartment for from three to five persons, with a roof projecting forward over the driver's seat in front.
noun
-
any large and luxurious car, esp one that has a glass division between the driver and passengers
-
a former type of car in which the roof covering the rear seats projected over the driver's compartment
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of limousine
1900–05; < French: kind of motorcar, special use of limousine long cloak, so called because worn by the shepherds of Limousin
Explanation
A limousine is a fancy car that's driven by a special driver. Some high school kids hire limousines to take them and their friends to the prom. Some limousines are unusually long, stretched-out versions of regular sedans, while others are merely large and luxurious. The passengers in a limousine sit in the back, sometimes separated from the driver, or chauffeur, by a partition. Wealthy people might own their limousines, but most people rent them for special occasions like weddings. In the US, the word is also used to mean a more ordinary type of hired car: "I'll just take a limousine to the airport."
Vocabulary lists containing limousine
Prom Time
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!
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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!
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:
“The Beast is going faster than it has ever gone before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the heavily armored presidential limousine.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
Trump, 80, is expected to take a ceremonial lap of honor in his armored limousine dubbed "The Beast" and then wave the green flag to start the race.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Nearby, a driver for a limousine service chatted with his dispatcher.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
When Reagan was shot just outside the venue in 1981, his limousine was reportedly parked at least several steps away, leaving him vulnerable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026
As the limousine approached Truman, it passed by a factory complex, the old 3M plant—Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
He masterminded “Hopscotch,” the opera presented throughout downtown L.A. and environs, with the audience riding in limousines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026
Bingo, nearly a decade later the lawsuits have racked up only losses in their campaign to blame Exxon for providing the fuel for the limousines and jets that Rockefeller trustees ride around in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
Once the players made it past the gate, limousines were waiting to pick them up, each overflowing with pizza boxes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2024
Other limousines he’s reportedly used include a Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman Guard and a Maybach S62.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 15, 2024
Gazing first at the crew of officers unloading from their limousines into the chateau.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
