car

1 of 2

noun

ˈkär How to pronounce car (audio)
dialectal also ˈkȯr, 
ˈkyär
Synonyms of carnext
1
: a vehicle moving on wheels: such as
a
archaic : carriage, chariot
b
: a vehicle designed to move on rails (as of a railroad)
The train has 20 cars.
c
: automobile
traveled to Boston by car
2
: the passenger compartment of an elevator
3
: the part of an airship or balloon that carries the passengers and cargo

CAR

2 of 2

abbreviation

civil air regulations

Synonyms of car

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Noun

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Examples of car in a Sentence

Noun I'll wait in the car. He got into the car and drove away. She bought a new car.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Schulz compared younger Americans increasing their credit scores with a new driver borrowing Mom or Dad’s car. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026 Witnesses told police the suspects got into a dispute with the victim at his car and shot him. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 The car with Parker's body inside was located behind a Safeway store, the Enumclaw Police Department said, according to KOIN. — CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 As Alice races to her car in pursuit of Catherine, Nora calls after her. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for car

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English carre "cart, wagon, small cartload," borrowed from Anglo-French carre, charre, going back to Late Latin carra, plural of carrum "vehicle, cart," going back to Latin, neuter variant of carrus "a kind of Gaulish wagon," borrowed from the Gaulish outcome of Celtic *kr̥s-o-, whence also Old Irish carr "cart, wagon," Welsh car "vehicle" — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of car was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing car

Rhymes for car

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Browse Nearby Words

Caquetío
car
CAR
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Cite this Entry

“Car.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/car. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

car

noun
ˈkär How to pronounce car (audio)
1
: a vehicle (as an automobile or part of a passenger train) moving on wheels
2
: the passenger compartment of an elevator
3
: the part of a balloon or an airship that carries the passengers and equipment

More from Merriam-Webster on car

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about car

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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