automobile
Americannoun
-
automobiles
plural
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of automobile
1865–70; < French: literally, self-movable (vehicle). See auto- 1, mobile
Explanation
An automobile is a car: a vehicle with four wheels and an internal combustion engine. The automobile is one of the most common ways to travel. Thanks in part to Henry Ford, automobiles are just about everywhere: in cities, small towns, and even in rural areas, where it's too far to walk from place to place and there's very little public transportation. Trucks, vans, buses, and limousines are bigger than the typical automobile, but they’re automobiles, too. A motorcycle isn't an automobile because it only has two wheels. Automobiles are good for getting around, but they also cause pollution and automobile accidents.
Vocabulary lists containing automobile
To Thine Own Self Be True: Auto
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Frankenwords: Words with Roots from Different Languages
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: auto-
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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.
See Examples For:
The White House had alleged "discriminatory treatment" by Canada against US alcohol, automobile and dairy products in introducing the duties.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Canada has been in pursuit of a deal that would see the US drop or reduce tariffs on its steel, aluminium, automobile and lumber sectors, all of which have been damaging to the country's economy.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
“The ruling also reaffirms the insurance commissioner’s broad authority over approval of automobile rates pursuant to Prop 103,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The U.S. may be very competitive in automobile production, but it is so much more competitive in the production of microprocessors that it pays to import autos and export microprocessors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Violet opened the door of the automobile and got out to shake the woman’s hand.
From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket
U.S. tariffs on Canadian automobiles now stand at 25%, with discounts for the U.S. content in cars, while steel tariffs are at 50%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Meanwhile, automobiles built in the European Union, Japan and South Korea enjoy a U.S. tariff rate of 15%.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
The levies add to US tariffs already in place on Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
If the deal had gone into effect, U.S. tariffs on Canadian-built automobiles had been expected to drop to 15% from 25% — in what would have been a win for Detroit’s Big Three.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
As the two approached the border, they saw that many of the automobiles had parked.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
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.
