tuk-tuk

British

/ ˈtʌkˌtʌk /

noun

(in Thailand) a three-wheeled motor vehicle used as 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

Etymology

Origin of tuk-tuk

C20: of imitative origin

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.

In 2022, Gwent Police said it spent £39,744 in total on the four vehicles, or £9,936 per tuk-tuk in response to a BBC Wales Freedom of Information request.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

A tuk-tuk driver in Sihanoukville told AFP hundreds of Chinese people left one compound this week before police arrived.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

Guests dine on curries and spicy peri-peri chicken at three on-site restaurants; there are also multiple pop-up dining options, including a pizza tuk-tuk that pays tribute to one of the capital Maputo’s most popular restaurants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

The beat of drums and firecrackers welcomed Thangapandian as she greeted voters recently riding an open-roofed tuk-tuk through Chennai’s alleyways.

From Seattle Times • May 6, 2024

He was almost at the juncture when he heard the beep of another tuk-tuk.

From An Apostate: Nawin of Thais by Sills, Steven (Steven David Justin)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023