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sports car

American  
Or sport car

noun

  1. a small, high-powered automobile with long, low lines, usually seating two persons.

sports car British  

noun

  1. a production car designed for speed, high acceleration, and manoeuvrability, having a low body and usually adequate seating for only two persons

"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 sports car

First recorded in 1920–25

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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.

An updated version of the Roadster sports car, Tesla’s first-ever vehicle, will be its last traditional vehicle.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026

The couple, both in their late 80s, had an agreement with the dealership to sell their classic Morgan sports car.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

He blasted money as the source of all evil while simultaneously bragging about his sports car and “escaping modern slavery” through stock trading.

From Slate • Jan. 22, 2026

An enthusiast got his 1939 BMW 327/28 sports car ready for the prestigious competition by researching in the archives, sourcing handmade parts and taking much of the car apart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

“That’s your old motorcycle noise. You’ve got to make a sports car noise to make a sports car move.”

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

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.