omnibus

1 of 2

noun

om·​ni·​bus ˈäm-ni-(ˌ)bəs 

1

: a usually automotive public vehicle designed to carry a large number of passengers : bus

took a seat on the omnibus

2

: a book containing reprints of a number of works (as of a single author or on a single subject)

The omnibus contained all of the author's short stories.

omnibus

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or providing for many things at once

2

: containing or including many items

an omnibus bill

Did you know?

The adjective omnibus may not have much to do with public transportation, but the noun omnibus certainly does—it not only means "bus," but it's also the word English speakers shortened to form bus. The noun omnibus originated in the 1820s as a French word for long, horse-drawn vehicles that transported people along the main thoroughfares of Paris. Shortly thereafter, omnibuses—and the noun omnibus—arrived in New York. But in Latin, omnibus simply means "for all." Our adjective omnibus, which arrived in the mid-1800s, seems to hark back to that Latin omnibus, though it may also have been at least partially influenced by the English noun. An "omnibus bill" containing numerous provisions, for example, could be likened to a bus loaded with people.

Synonyms

Adjective

• all-embracing
• all-in [chiefly British]
• all-inclusive
• broad-gauge
• broad-gauged
• compendious
• complete
• comprehensive
• cover-all
• cyclopedic
• embracive
• encyclopedic
• exhaustive
• full
• global
• in-depth
• inclusive
• panoramic
• thorough
• universal

Examples of omnibus in a Sentence

Adjective

an omnibus edition of his more popular stories

the president's state of the union speech is usually an omnibus look at the issues that the country is confronting

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Grouping spending bills into a couple of packages that allow members to support certain funding measures and oppose others, even within an omnibus, isn’t new to the congressional playbook. —Tia Yang, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2024

Johnson broke up this fiscal year's spending bills into two parts as House Republicans revolted against what has become an annual practice of asking them to vote for one massive, complex bill called an omnibus with little time to review it or face a shutdown. —Democrat-Gazette Staff and Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Mar. 2024

In mid-February, similar language curbing wind energy was tacked on to a larger energy omnibus bill that had momentum in the Legislature, and was eventually passed by lawmakers. —Emily L. Mahoney, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024

Pinto’s omnibus retains the expansion for adults, while including certain cases where juveniles should be ordered detained before trial, such as for alleged carjackings. —Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2024

House Republicans have been determined to end the practice of packaging all 12 annual spending bills into one massive bill called an omnibus. —Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024

In pre-sale, Amazon is offering the omnibuses at a hefty $131.50. —John Towfighi, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024

The timing of the effort was highly curious to Democratic D.C. leaders: House Republicans pushed the legislation forward two days after the D.C. Council passed the Secure D.C. omnibus, a massive public safety package that would enhance punishment for certain crimes. —Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024

That ban was recently added to a major energy omnibus bill that is nearing passage and is the priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast. —Emily L. Mahoney, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024

Adjective

The moves were meant to do away with the usual funding pattern that has taken hold in Congress: approving government spending in what's known as an omnibus bill, often before a holiday break when there is little time for rank-and-file lawmakers to carefully review the details. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2024

An omnibus hearing to determine the admissibility of statements Jackson reportedly made to police after his arrest is now set for May 21. —Steven Mross, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024

This omnibus hardcover includes decades of artistic flair and business strategy in a captivating book. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024

The bill included an additional $900 billion in pandemic relief, along with $1.4 trillion in omnibus spending. —Matthew Desmond, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023

But a new edition of I. J. Singer’s work has now gathered six of his books—five novels and a memoir—in two omnibus volumes, each more than a thousand pages. —Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023

This has put them on a collision course with the provincial governments which had already sounded the alarm during the congressional battle over the omnibus bill. —Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Computer science course now mandatory An omnibus education bill passed this year includes a new requirement for high school graduation: a computer science class. —Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024

According to the Pew Research Center, Congress hasn't passed more than five of its 12 appropriations bills on time since 1996, opting almost every year for continuing resolutions and ultimately omnibus packages to get the government funding over the finish line. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

French, from Latin, for all, dative plural of omnis

First Known Use

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing omnibus

• the man on the Clapham omnibus

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Kids Definition

omnibus

1 of 2 noun

om·​ni·​bus ˈäm-ni-(ˌ)bəs 

: bus

omnibus

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or providing for many things at once

2

: containing or including many items

an omnibus legislative bill