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Synonyms

taxi

1 American  
[tak-see] / ˈtæk si /

noun

plural

taxis, taxies
  1. a taxicab.


verb (used without object)

taxied, taxiing, taxying
  1. to ride or travel in a taxicab.

  2. (of an airplane) to move over the surface of the ground or water under its own power.

verb (used with object)

taxied, taxiing, taxying
  1. to cause (an airplane) to taxi.

taxi- 2 American  
  1. variant of taxo-.

    taxidermy.


taxi British  
/ ˈtæksɪ /

noun

  1. Also called: cab.   taxicab.  a car, usually fitted with a taximeter, that may be hired, along with its driver, to carry passengers to any specified destination

"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

verb

  1. to cause (an aircraft) to move along the ground under its own power, esp before takeoff and after landing, or (of an aircraft) to move along the ground in this way

  2. (intr) to travel in a taxi

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of taxi

1905–10, short for taxicab

Explanation

Running late? Call a taxi. A taxi is a car you hire to drive you somewhere. In some big cities, all you have to do is raise your hand and yell "taxi!" and a taxi will pull up next to you. You can also refer to a taxi as a cab or a taxicab. Most taxis are cars, although boats for hire are sometimes also called taxis. As a verb, taxi describes what airplanes do when they move very slowly on a runway. Officially, taxi is short for taximeter cab, as they were originally named at the turn of the 20th century. Today the taximeter, which records distance and fare, is usually just called a meter.

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Vocabulary lists containing taxi

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.

Taxi drivers in the greater Athens area have threatened to launch an indefinite strike in the near future if their demands are not met.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Locally, Sly & Robbie founded an influential label, Taxi Records, in 1980 and performed in the house band at Jamaica’s formidable Channel One studio.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Taxi driver Inuujuk Petersen, waiting in line to fill his car with gas, said he never imagined that Greenland would come under threat from a foreign nation, let alone the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

He visited Normandy many times through trips organised by the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, and received the Légion d'honneur, France's highest military honour, in 2021 in recognition of his service.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

“Hey,” she said, “Gray Sisters Taxi is the fastest way to camp.”

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan