automobile

American  

[aw-tuh-muh-beel, aw-tuh-muh-beel, aw-tuh-moh-beel, -buhl] / ˌɔ tə məˈbil, ˈɔ tə məˌbil, ˌɔ təˈmoʊ bil, -bəl /

noun

1. a passenger vehicle designed for operation on ordinary roads and typically having four wheels and a gasoline or diesel internal-combustion engine.

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adjective

1. of or relating to automobiles; automotive.

automobile British  

/ -ˈməʊbɪlɪst, ˌɔːtəməˈbiːlɪst, ˈɔːtəməˌbiːl /

noun

1. another word (esp US) for car

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Other Word Forms

• automobilist noun

Etymology

Origin of automobile

1865–70; < French: literally, self-movable (vehicle). See auto- ¹, mobile

Example Sentences

That was less a finely tuned automobile and more a Frankenstein’s monster built off a Lotus Elise and powered by the startup’s electric powertrain.

From The Wall Street Journal

Experiments in foreign markets are about to provide a similar wake-up call for transportation in the U.S., this time in the automobile market.

From Barron's

“For the first time since automobiles had fins, the world stands in awe of a car from the United States,” the automotive enthusiast magazine Road & Track raved in a 2012 review.

From MarketWatch

Asbestos is a mined fibrous silicate that was widely used in home insulation, automobiles and other applications through the 1970s until its use was slowly phased out as its health impacts became widely known.

From Los Angeles Times

But Hanoi's ballooning surplus with the bloc has rankled European leaders who have called for the removal of non-tariff barriers on EU products such as automobiles.

From Barron's

Related Words

• auto
• bus
• convertible
• limousine
• passenger car
• pickup truck
• sports car
• station wagon
• taxi
• transportation
• truck
• van