hatchback

noun

hatch·​back ˈhach-ˌbak How to pronounce hatchback (audio)
: an automobile the back of which consists of a hatch that opens upward
also : the back itself

Examples of hatchback 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.
With its hatchback hybrid, Honda also gets a nod in versatility. James Raia, Mercury News, 22 June 2025 The first step in that process is changing the Leaf’s form factor from compact hatchback car to something more akin to a crossover. Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 Europe will also receive a less aerodynamic hatchback EV4, but that one will only be built in Kia's Slovakian factory and won't be exported here. ArsTechnica, 16 June 2025 The Dolphin Surf, a hatchback, will retail for around $25,000 in the UK and EU, three times the Chinese price, partly thanks to tariffs. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hatchback

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hatchback was in 1970

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Cite this Entry

“Hatchback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hatchback. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

hatchback

noun
hatch·​back ˈhach-ˌbak How to pronounce hatchback (audio)
1
: a back on an automobile having an upward-opening hatch
2
: an automobile having a hatchback

More from Merriam-Webster on hatchback

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