automobile

1 of 2

noun

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbēl 

ˈȯ-tə-mō-ˌbēl,

ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbēl 

: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation

automobile intransitive verb

automobilist

ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbē-list  ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbē-list 

noun

automobile

2 of 2

adjective

: automotive

Synonyms

Noun

• auto
• bus
• car
• horseless carriage
• machine
• motor
• motor vehicle
• motorcar
• wheels [slang]

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

Trump's trade policies, including tariffs and protectionist measures, and his emphasis on national champions in industries like steel and automobiles echo this imperial approach, prioritizing national economic directives over free market principles. —Frank Lavin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025

His isolationist tariff doctrine has already hit other major U.S. trade partners with sweeping duties on automobiles, steel and general imports. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

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

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

Rhymes for automobile

• periosteal
• peritoneal
• abele
• alkyl
• anneal
• appeal
• cartwheel
• conceal
• congeal
• coquille
• corneal
• cornmeal

Kids Definition

automobile

1 of 2 adjective

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˈȯt-ə-mō-ˌbēl  ˌȯt-ə-mō-ˈbē(ə)l 

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

-mō-ˈbē-ləst 

noun