motor vehicle

noun

: an automotive vehicle not operated on rails

especially : one with rubber tires for use on highways

Synonyms of motor vehicle

• car
• bus
• automobile
• machine
• wheels

Examples of motor vehicle in a Sentence

You can register your car at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

got a license to drive a motor vehicle the minute she turned 16

Recent Examples on the Web

He was charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle. — CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

All five juveniles, ranging in age from 14 to 16 years old, were processed at Clinton police headquarters on charges including larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit and conspiracy. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026

After gun injuries, motor vehicle injuries are the second leading cause of death among children in the US overall. — Muizz Akhtar, Vox, 30 Oct. 2026

Roehling faces charges of one felony count of child endangerment and an infraction of allowing a child under the age of 18 to drive a motor vehicle without a license. — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

motor vehicle

noun

: a motorized vehicle (as an automobile or motorcycle) not operated on rails