Pullman

¹ American  

[pool-muhn] / ˈpʊl mən /

Trademark.

Pullmans plural

1. a railroad sleeping car or parlor car.

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noun

Pullmans plural

1. Also called Pullman case.  (often lowercase) a large suitcase.

2. George Mortimer, 1831–97, U.S. inventor and railroad car designer.

Pullman ² American  

[pool-muhn] / ˈpʊl mən /

noun

1. a city in SE Washington.

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Pullman ¹ British  

/ ˈpʊlmən /

noun

1. Also called: Pullman car.  a luxurious railway coach, esp a sleeping car

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Pullman ² British  

/ ˈpʃulmən /

noun

1. Philip . born 1946, British author. Writing primarily for older children, he is best known for the fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials (1997–2000)

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• Pullmans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Pullman

C19: named after George M. Pullman (1831–97), the US inventor who first manufactured such coaches

Example Sentences

“And I just love the ensemble,” which includes fellow veteran actors Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters and Bill Pullman.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Spaceballs: The New One will see the return of several original cast members, including Brooks, George Wyner, Daphne Zuniga and Bill Pullman.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

To maintain a meritocracy, a business must hold on to key employees, says Pullman & Comley, a law firm based in Connecticut.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

In 1894, Pullman workers struck over wage cuts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

People particularly enjoyed taking in the Pullman porters, the Black men whom industrialist George Pullman hired to serve the sleeper cars on his trains.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson