streetcar

noun

street·​car ˈstrēt-ˌkär How to pronounce streetcar (audio)
: a vehicle on rails used primarily for transporting passengers and typically operating on city streets

Illustration of streetcar

Illustration of streetcar

Examples of streetcar in a Sentence

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.
Kansas City residents and visitors hoping to ride the streetcar this week will be met with the bus instead. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025 The streetcar has been running in its current form since 1914. Jillian Frankel, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 The wrecked streetcar is colored yellow and white and was named the Elevador da Gloria. Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025 The streetcar crashed on Rua da Gloria in central Lisbon. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for streetcar

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of streetcar was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Streetcar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/streetcar. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

streetcar

noun
street·​car -ˌkär How to pronounce streetcar (audio)
: a passenger vehicle that runs on rails and typically operates on city streets

More from Merriam-Webster on streetcar

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