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Synonyms

motor vehicle

American  
[moh-ter vee-i-kuhl, vee-hi-] / ˈmoʊ tər ˈvi ɪ kəl, ˈvi hɪ- /

noun

  1. an automobile, truck, bus, or similar motor-driven conveyance.

motor vehicle British  

noun

  1. a road vehicle driven by a motor or engine, esp an internal-combustion engine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of motor vehicle

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

Amid this influx, a current ICE officer said, DHS has updated its field training; however, new recruits are given priority for the courses and it is unclear to what extent motor vehicle stops are incorporated.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

This came on the back of sales declines at motor vehicle and parts dealers, and gasoline stations.

From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025

The historic refinery, which opened in 1911, produces approximately one-fifth of all motor vehicle fuels and 40% of the jet fuel consumed in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

The report, published by Statistics Canada, a government office, shows that Canadians made 1.7 million return trips by motor vehicle back into their country from the U.S. in July.

From Salon • Aug. 21, 2025

The motor vehicle is another invention whose uses seem obvious today.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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.