wheelbase

[ hweel-beys, weel- ]

/ ˈʰwilˌbeɪs, ˈwil- /

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noun Automotive.

the distance from the center of the front-wheel spindle to the center of the rear-wheel axle.

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Origin of wheelbase

First recorded in 1885–90; wheel + base¹

Words nearby wheelbase

wheel and deal, wheel animalcule, wheel back, wheelbarrow, wheelbarrow race, wheelbase, Wheel Blacks, wheel bug, wheelchair, wheelchair housing, wheelchair race

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wheelbase in a sentence

Many e-cargo rigs, especially longtails, have lengthy wheelbases that make them hard to store and a handful to maneuver on tight streets.
The Best Winter Bikes of 2022|jversteegh|October 26, 2021|Outside Online
This scaled-down cargo bike has a shorter wheelbase, for nimble handling, but can still carry a week’s worth of groceries.
The Best Winter Bikes of 2022|jversteegh|October 26, 2021|Outside Online
This system accommodates wheelbases up to 47 inches and tires as large as three inches and is available in three different colors to match your vehicle.
The best bike rack for your car: hit the high road with these carriers|Florie Korani|June 18, 2021|Popular-Science
Only when you poke him a little …Darren drives a car with a wheelbase so wide that the guy coming toward him has to squeeeeze past or back up on a narrow street.
Gene Weingarten: Karen’s better half? Darren, obviously.|Gene Weingarten|March 4, 2021|Washington Post

It has a 140-inch wheelbase, which fits in most regulation-size parking spots, and essentially drives like a truck.
Sprinter vs. Teardrop Trailer: What's Best for Camping?|Will Taylor|November 28, 2020|Outside Online
Currently, Americans vie in a similar way with the wheelbase and overall length of their cars.
A Brief History of Element Discovery, Synthesis, and Analysis|Glen W. Watson

British Dictionary definitions for wheelbase

wheelbase

/ (ˈwiːlˌbeɪs) /

noun

the distance between the front and back axles of a motor vehicle

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