automobile

See also: Automobile and auto-mobile

English

Etymology

From French automobile, from Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”) + French mobile (“moving”), from Latin mōbilis (“movable”), equivalent to auto- (“self”) +‎ mobile.

Pronunciation

  • (UK, General Australian, New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈɔː.tə.məˌbiːl/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɔː.tə.məˌbil/, /ˌɔː.tə.məˈbil/, /ˌɔː.təˈmoʊ.bil/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈɑː.tə.məˌbil/, /ˈɑː.tə.məˈbil/, /ˈɑː.təˈmoʊ.bil/
  • (Indic) IPA(key): /ɒ.ʈo.mŏ.bajl/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: au‧to‧mo‧bile

Noun

automobile (plural automobiles)

  2. (US, Canada, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand) A type of motor vehicle designed to move on the ground under its own stored power and intended to carry a driver, a small number of additional passengers, and a very limited amount of other load.
    Synonyms: car, auto, motorcar (dated in some dialects), motor (Britain); see also Thesaurus:automobile
    Hypernyms: motor vehicle < vehicle
    Hyponyms: station wagon, sedan, coupe, convertible; sports car, racecar, muscle car
    Meronym: see list of auto parts
    Coordinate terms: truck, van, bus, coach, SUV, minivan; wagon, cart, trailer, tractor; aircraft, airplane, boat, ship, vessel

Usage notes

  • The word automobile usually implies a car with seating for two to six occupants. Although the word etymonically might seem like it should be synonymous with motor vehicle, idiomatically it almost always means a certain type of such vehicle.
  • A vehicle with more than six or seven seats is usually called a limousine, minivan, van, SUV, bus, etc.
  • A vehicle devoted mainly to cargo is usually called a lorry, truck, or van.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Alabama: mobìlika
  • → Hawaiian: ʻokomopila
  • → Unami: hatëmopil

Translations

Verb

automobile (third-person singular simple present automobiles, present participle automobiling, simple past and past participle automobiled)

  1. (intransitive, dated) To travel by automobile.
    • 1909, “"How Can He Do It?"”, in Notions and Fancy Goods, volume 43, page 30:
      The misguided youngsters are yachting, attending the races, playing the "stage Johnny," automobiling, playing poker for high stakes, overliving at home, on expensive shopping tours, attending box parties to the theatre, visiting high-priced restaurants, etc., etc.

Translations

Adjective

automobile (not comparable)

  1. Self-moving; self-propelled.
    Synonym: autokinetic
    • 1919, Nikola Tesla, My Inventions:
      As early as 1898 I proposed to representatives of a large manufacturing concern the construction and public exhibition of an automobile carriage which, left to itself, would perform a great variety of operations involving something akin to judgment.

Translations

French

Etymology

    Etymology tree
    Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós)
    Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-)lbor.
    French auto-
    Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁-der.
    Proto-Italic *moweō
    Latin moveō
    Latin -bilis
    Latin mōbilislbor.
    French mobile
    French automobile

    From auto- +‎ mobile, as the vehicle is powered by an engine rather than pulled by horses.

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    automobile (plural automobiles)

    1. automotive

    Noun

    automobile f (plural automobiles)

    1. automobile
      L’automobile est un moyen de déplacement pratique à la campagne, mais cher et polluant.
      The automobile is a practical means of travel in the countryside, but it's expensive and polluting.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    Further reading

    Italian

    Etymology

    From auto- +‎ mobile.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /aw.toˈmɔ.bi.le/
    • Audio:(file)
    • Rhymes: -ɔbile
    • Hyphenation: au‧to‧mò‧bi‧le

    Noun

    automobile f (plural automobili)

    1. automobile
      Synonyms: auto, macchina, vettura
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