racing car

American

Also racecar,

noun

a car used for racing, as a specially designed and modified car or stock car.

Etymology

Origin of racing car

First recorded in 1905–10

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.

In modern history, the British racing car manufacturer Lola faced an 11-second deficit when it launched a new team in 1997.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

A business jet crash in North Carolina killed all seven aboard Thursday, reportedly including a former racing car driver, authorities said.

From Barron's • Dec. 18, 2025

BMW decided to use the same running gear in this racing car and put it in the underpowered 327 road car to create a high-performance sports cabriolet, and that is where the 327/28 comes from.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

“That’s faster than a racing car in a straightaway. It’s a new and dangerous world.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

Culver’s spring wagon and the racing car piloted by Eugene Hammond of Terre Haute.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023