automotive
Americanadjective
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pertaining to the design, operation, manufacture, or sale of automobiles.
automotive parts.
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propelled by a self-contained motor, engine, or the like.
noun
adjective
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relating to motor vehicles
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self-propelling
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of automotive
Explanation
Anything automotive has to do with automobiles — in other words, cars. The automotive industry, for example, is all about making and selling cars. If the windshield wipers fall off your car, get new ones at an automotive store. The word automotive comes from the Greek auto for “self” and motive for “moving," which makes sense for what the word may have meant in the late 1800s — a self-propelled helicopter-like machine for one person. Don’t bother looking for one of those, though, automotive now just refers to car stuff. If you're interested in automotive technology, you might become a mechanic. Or maybe you could figure out how to make one of those little helicopters.
Vocabulary lists containing automotive
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: auto-
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 1
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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.
However, a sharp weakening of the Japanese yen triggered a massive secular outperformance for Japanese exporters, specifically automotive and electronics stocks.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
One of the attendees is a 28-year-old from an automotive family.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
I’m not nearly alone in my new interest in automotive longevity.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
That’s as chip usage continues to expand — in robotics, humanoids, smart grids, defense systems, automotive and more.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
But Howard was certain that he could coax his new city into the automotive age.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
