Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for motor vehicle. Search instead for motor vehicles.
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.

Wholesale trade saw its biggest contraction in November since April, driven by declines in motor vehicle and parts activity, as well as in building materials and supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 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 refinery 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

Any bike that travels faster than the limit and has more than a 250-watt output is classed as a motor vehicle and is subject to rules of the Road Traffic Act.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 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.