vehicle

noun

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ve·hi·cle | \ ˈvē-ə-kəl

also ˈvē-ˌhi-kəl

Essential Meaning of vehicle

1 : a machine that is used to carry people or goods from one place to another cars, trucks, and other vehicles a stolen vehicle See More ExamplesThe vehicle's driver was severely injured in the crash. Have you seen his new car? It's a fine-looking vehicle.Hide

2 : the thing that allows something to be passed along, expressed, achieved, or shown an investment vehicle Water and insects can be vehicles of infection. See More Examplesart as a vehicle for self-expression Words and pictures are vehicles of communication. These big-budget movies are star vehicles for well-known actors.Hide

Full Definition of vehicle

1 : a means of carrying or transporting something planes, trains, and other vehicles : such as

a : motor vehicle

b : a piece of mechanized equipment

2 : an agent of transmission : carrier

3 : a medium through which something is expressed, achieved, or displayed an investment vehicle especially : a work created especially to display the talents of a particular performer

4a : an inert medium (such as a syrup) in which a medicinally active agent is administered

b : any of various media acting usually as solvents, carriers, or binders for active ingredients or pigments

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About vehicle

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Examples of vehicle in a Sentence

cars, trucks, and other vehicles The vehicle's driver was severely injured in the crash. Have you seen his new car? It's a fine-looking vehicle. Water and insects can be vehicles of infection. art as a vehicle for self-expression Words and pictures are vehicles of communication. These big-budget movies are star vehicles for well-known actors.

Recent Examples on the Web Velocities like this aren’t an issue for a vehicle bred on the track. — Michael Harley, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2021 According to the lawsuit, on September 22, 2019, Felton assisted another officer in pulling over a vehicle in Baldwin Park after the driver allegedly failed to yield during a traffic stop. — Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 21 Oct. 2021 Customers are not required to pay money to reserve a vehicle. — Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 21 Oct. 2021 Bangura was found with critical wounds inside of a vehicle in the 2400 block of Franklin Street NE, less than two blocks from his home, just before 7 p.m. — Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2021 Cummings was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound around 9:56 p.m. Aug. 12 in the 300 block of Union Avenue as officers responded to a call of a vehicle that struck a church, said Frazier. — Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 21 Oct. 2021 Initial reports said a vehicle had struck a nearby home; but upon arrival, police found one of the cars had crashed through a fence into a neighboring yard. — BostonGlobe.com, 21 Oct. 2021 Austin Highway, on May 5 to retrieve a vehicle from Smith at the request of one of Williams’ girlfriends, who was incarcerated at the time of the shooting. — Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Oct. 2021 Rapping became an outlet for his artistry, but also a vehicle for venting the frustration of being a young Muslim attempting to assimilate. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Oct. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vehicle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for vehicle

borrowed from French & Latin; French véhicule, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin vehiculum "medium, agent of transmission," going back to Latin, "wheeled vehicle, means of transport," from vehere "to carry, convey" + -culum, instrumental suffix (going back to Indo-European *-tlom) — more at way entry 1

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