automotive

adjective

au·​to·​mo·​tive ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce automotive (audio)
1
: self-propelled
2
: of, relating to, or concerned with self-propelled vehicles or machines

Examples of automotive in a Sentence

The store stocks automotive parts.
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.
The tides can often change very quickly in the automotive world. — New Atlas, 4 July 2026 Hyundai is recalling its best-selling vehicle for an issue that any automotive brand could experience. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning news roundup bringing you the biggest automotive headlines from around the world. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 2 July 2026 Industrial equipment makers and automotive suppliers can also adopt the same packaging approach for products that demand higher durability. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for automotive

Word History

Etymology

auto- + motive entry 2

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of automotive was in 1830

Rhymes for automotive

See All Rhymes for automotive

Browse Nearby Words

automorphism
automotive
autonarcosis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Automotive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automotive. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

automotive

adjective
au·​to·​mo·​tive ˌȯt-ə-ˈmōt-iv How to pronounce automotive (audio)
1
: self-propelled
2
: of, relating to, or concerned with automobiles, trucks, or buses

More from Merriam-Webster on automotive

Nglish: Translation of automotive for Spanish Speakers

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