Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

sidecar

American  
[sahyd-kahr] / ˈsaɪdˌkɑr /

noun

  1. a small car attached on one side to a motorcycle and supported on the other side by a wheel of its own, used for a passenger, parcels, etc.

  2. a cocktail made with brandy, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.


sidecar British  
/ ˈsaɪdˌkɑː /

noun

  1. a small car attached on one side to a motorcycle, usually for one passenger, the other side being supported by a single wheel

  2. a cocktail containing brandy with equal parts of Cointreau and lemon juice

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sidecar

First recorded in 1880–85; side 1 + car 1


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:

At one man's request, the agency devised a "Mission Impossible" production for an adventurous young woman: an iPad delivered in the morning launched a scavenger hunt across Paris by sidecar and by boat.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

South Korean regulators had to step in again on Tuesday to quell excessive market moves, with the Korea Stock Exchange activating the so-called "sidecar" trading curb for a second day in a row.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 3, 2026

The pooch wore special dog goggles—called doggles—for a trip in the bike’s sidecar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 28, 2025

The boys, who were already world record holders on their individual bikes, are the youngest ever to hold a sidecar record.

From BBC ● May 26, 2024

“We’ll be fine,” I assure him as we clamber out of the sidecar and wave goodbye.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com