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.
In 2018, midtown voters agreed to increase sales and property taxes near the line to help fund the streetcar. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2025 Ramsey County abandoned planning for the Riverview Corridor streetcar a year ago. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025 In its first eight years of operation, PTC spent $22.8 million to purchase 1,506 new streetcars, buses and trackless trolleys while also improving terminal and plant facilities. Menika Dirkson, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025 The streetcar, the pigeons, the sound of the ambulance. Literary Hub, 30 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 22 Oct. 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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