automobile

1 of 2

noun

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbēl 

ˈȯ-tə-mō-ˌbēl,

ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbēl 

: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation

automobile intransitive verb

automobilist

ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbē-list  ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbē-list 

noun

automobile

2 of 2

adjective

: automotive

Synonyms

Noun

• auto
• bus
• car
• horseless carriage
• machine
• motor
• motor vehicle
• motorcar
• wheels [slang]

Examples of automobile in a Sentence

Noun

He drives an expensive automobile.

browsed online for used automobiles for sale

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Days after the race weekend, The Indianapolis Star reported that Indiana Lieutenant Governor Frank J. Hall strongly opposed to automobile racing in Indiana and wanted Governor Thomas Marshall to call a special legislative session to pass a law prohibiting it. —Dawn Mitchell, The Indianapolis Star, 21 May 2024

Ventura died in an automobile accident in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 22, 2017. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

derivative of automobile entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from French, "self-propelled," from auto- auto- + mobile mobile entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1881, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

automobile

1 of 2 adjective

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˈȯt-ə-mō-ˌbēl  ˌȯt-ə-mō-ˈbē(ə)l 

ˌȯt-ə-ˈmō-ˌbēl

: of or relating to automobiles

automobile

2 of 2 noun

: a usually four-wheeled vehicle with its own power system (as an internal combustion engine) designed for passenger transportation

automobile verb

automobilist

-mō-ˈbē-ləst 

noun