Car

Definition

Car is a noun that refers to a motor vehicle with four wheels, typically designed to transport a small number of passengers along roads.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /kɑr/
• Respelling: kahr

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /kɑː/
• Respelling: kahr

Etymology

The word "car" comes from the Latin "carrus" or "carrum," meaning "wheeled vehicle" or "cart." It passed into Old North French as "carre" and then Middle English as "carre" or "car," initially referring to a wheeled vehicle and later specifically to motor vehicles in the 19th century.

Derivatives

• Carriage (noun)
• Carpool (noun/verb)
• Carport (noun)
• Carload (noun)
• Carsick (adjective)

Synonyms

• Automobile
• Vehicle
• Motorcar

Antonyms

• None

Usage

The noun "car" is widely used to refer to motor vehicles used for transportation. For example, "She drove her car to work every day." It also appears in related terms such as "carpool," where multiple people share a vehicle to travel together.

Related Terms

• Automobile: A term for a self-propelled vehicle designed for passenger transportation.
• Truck: A motor vehicle designed to transport goods rather than passengers.
• Engine: The machine that powers a car, typically using internal combustion.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A motor vehicle with four wheels used for transporting passengers: Refers to a personal vehicle designed primarily for road travel.
  • Example: "They bought a new car for their family."
• A specific section or compartment in a train: In rail transport, "car" can refer to a separate compartment or passenger area.
  • Example: "The dining car on the train was full."