automobile

1 of 2

noun

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio)
ˈȯ-tə-mō-ˌbēl,
ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio)
: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation
automobile intransitive verb

automobile

2 of 2

adjective

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
As part of a response to an epidemic of automobile crashes across Chicago, many of them involving pedestrians and cyclists, a new strategy for safer streets is taking hold at our 110-year-old neighborhood school and its sister park. Patrick Corcoran, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2024 It's manufactured into a range of automotive, construction and household products like insulation, pipes, automobile parts, printing cartridges, food containers and carpet backing. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2024
Adjective
That included state income taxes ($130.7 million, or 15.1%, above estimates), non-automobile sales taxes ($80.7 million, or 8.5%, above estimates), auto sales taxes ($10.1 million, or 7.8%, above estimates) and commercial activity taxes ($2.4 million, or 23.1%, above estimates). Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 10 Jan. 2022 Bad news for the anti-automobile Ham & Eggers. Nick Canepa Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2020 See all Example Sentences for automobile 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'automobile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of automobile was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near automobile

Cite this Entry

“Automobile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automobile. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

automobile

1 of 2 adjective
au·​to·​mo·​bile ˈȯt-ə-mō-ˌbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio) ˌȯt-ə-mō-ˈbē(ə)l How to pronounce automobile (audio)
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 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on automobile

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