Etymology
Inherited from Middle English carre, borrowed from Anglo-Norman carre, from Old Northern French (compare Old French char), from Latin carrus (two-wheeled baggage wagon), from Gaulish *karros, from Proto-Celtic *karros (wagon), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós (vehicle).
Noun
car (plural cars)
- A wheeled vehicle that moves independently, with at least three wheels, powered mechanically, steered by a driver and mostly for personal transportation.
- She drove her car to the mall.
- (railway transportation) An unpowered unit in a railroad train.
- The conductor coupled the cars to the locomotive.
- (railway transportation) an individual vehicle, powered or unpowered, in a multiple unit.
- The 11:10 to London was operated by a four-car diesel multiple unit.
- (Railway transportation) A passenger-carrying unit in a subway or elevated train, whether powered or not.
- From the frontmost car of the subway, he filmed the progress through the tunnel.
- A rough unit of quantity approximating the amount which would fill a railroad car.
- We ordered five hundred cars of gypsum.
- The moving, load-carrying component of an elevator or other cable-drawn transport mechanism.
- Fix the car of the express elevator; the door is sticking.
- The passenger-carrying portion of certain amusement park rides, such as Ferris wheels.
- The most exciting part of riding a Ferris wheel is when your car goes over the top.
- The part of an airship, such as a balloon or dirigible, which houses the passengers and control apparatus.
- (sailing) A sliding fitting that runs along a track.
Derived terms
- baggage car
- boxcar
- bumper car
- cabin car
- cable car
- car alarm
- car battery
- car carrier
- car chase
- car crash
- car door
- car ferry
- car hop
- car insurance
- car lot
- car park
- car part
- car phone
- car seat
- carwash
- cattle car
- economy car
- electric car
- flatcar
- freight car
- horsecar
- hybrid car
- motor car
- muscle car
- passenger car
- patrol car
- pedal car
- police car
- race car
- railcar
- rental car
- self-driving car
- sports car
- stock car
- trolley car
Related terms
- carriage
- chariot
Credits
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