A car is a motor vehicle with room for a small number of passengers.
He had left his tickets in his car.
They arrived by car.
Synonyms: vehicle, motor, wheels [informal], auto [US] More Synonyms of car
2. countable noun
A car is one of the separate sections of a train.
[US]
Tour buses have replaced railway cars.
regional note: in BRIT, usually use carriage
Synonyms: (railway) carriage, coach, cable car, dining car More Synonyms of car
3. countable noun
Railway carriages are called cars when they are used for a particular purpose.
[British]
He made his way into the dining car for breakfast.
4. See also cable car
car in British English
(kɑː)
noun
1.
a. Also called: motorcar, automobile
a self-propelled road vehicle designed to carry passengers, esp one with four wheels that is powered by an internal-combustion engine
b.
(as modifier)
car coat
2.
a conveyance for passengers, freight, etc, such as a cable car or the carrier of an airship or balloon
3. British
a railway vehicle for passengers only, such as a sleeping car or buffet car
4. mainly US and Canadian
a railway carriage or van
5. mainly US
the enclosed platform of a lift
6. a poetic word for chariot
Word origin
C14: from Anglo-French carre, ultimately related to Latin carra, carrum two-wheeled wagon, probably of Celtic origin; compare Old Irish carr
CAR in British English
abbreviation for
compound annual return
compound annual return in British English
noun
the total return available from an investment, deposit, etc, when the interest earned is used to augment the capital
Abbreviation: CAR
car in American English1
(kɑr)
noun
1.
any vehicle on wheels
2. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
a chariot
3. US
a vehicle that moves on rails, as a streetcar
4.
an automobile
5. US
elevator (sense 2)
6.
the part of a balloon or airship for carrying people and equipment
Word origin
ME & NormFr carre < L carrum, carrus, orig., two-wheeled Celtic war chariot < Gaul carros (OIr carr) < IE *ṛsos < base *ers-, to run > L currere, to run, cursus, course
car in American English2
carat(s)
car in Automotive Engineering
(kɑr)
Word forms: (regular plural) cars
noun
(Automotive engineering: Vehicle types)
A car is a motor vehicle with room for a small number of passengers.
Her brakes failed and the car crashed into a shop front.
The plant manufactures pistons for car engines.
He likes driving fast cars.
passenger car
Examples of 'car' in a sentence
car
The pair were seen chatting in the car with the engine running hours before.
The Sun (2016)
The cable car sails over silver birch and pines and patches of snow.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This money goes towards buying a new car when one is needed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
More of us might downsize if our roads permitted a less uncomfortable ride in smaller cars.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We can move faster than we can run because of trains and cars.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was a huge outcry against the advance of ribbon roads when the motor car arrived.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Moving over for 999 vehicles and letting cars out of side streets are acts people feel will go.
The Sun (2016)
It might be unpalatable to insist on smaller families but perhaps to limit the number of cars per household would be a viable alternative.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
At university, she was helped by her father to find a practical car that could carry her boat and equipment.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Three quarters of all cars and vans and more than half of all engines built in the UK are for export.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The education system is represented by the car engine.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Traffic piled up behind the camera van as cars were forced to edge past.
The Sun (2008)
You can still eat well without packing half your dining room into the car.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They managed to reach the cable car that carried them to safety before being taken to hospital.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Want a faster car or one with better features?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Will the driverless car refuse to carry drunks?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Long drives will no longer be the chore they used to be in a small car.
The Sun (2011)
It also handles like a sports car on the road.
The Sun (2010)
Each of those engines required the manufacturing capacity of forty simple car engines.
Len Deighton Bomber
The trend is to include electronic stability control as standard on cars and vans.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
There is room for a car to be parked in a small front garden.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
British cities could benefit from more cable cars.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The problem came to light only one car caught fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Not the number of cars, you understand.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
For this purpose, a car must be placed in service.
Christianity Today (2000)
You could always substitute a planned week abroad for two long weekends exploring Britain by train or car.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The vehicle hit my car.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If drivers fail to buy enough electric cars, the number of car journeys may have to be cut by a third.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
car
British English: car /kɑː/ NOUN
A car is a motor vehicle with room for a small number of passengers.
They arrived by car.
American English: car
Arabic: سَيَّارَة
Brazilian Portuguese: carro
Chinese: 小汽车
Croatian: automobil
Czech: auto
Danish: bil
Dutch: auto
European Spanish: coche
Finnish: auto
French: voiture
German: Auto
Greek: αυτοκίνητο
Italian: automobile
Japanese: 自動車
Korean: 자동차
Norwegian: bil
Polish: samochód
European Portuguese: carro
Romanian: mașină
Russian: автомобиль
Latin American Spanish: carro
Swedish: bil
Thai: รถยนต์
Turkish: araba
Ukrainian: авто
Vietnamese: xe ô tô
All related terms of 'car'
e-car
a car powered by electricity
in-car
In-car devices are ones that are designed to be used in a car.
bar car
a railroad car equipped with a bar that serves beverages , esp. liquors and beer , and sometimes snacks
car rug
a floor covering for automobiles
cop car
a police car
kit car
a car that is supplied as a set of pieces ready to be assembled
tow car
a motor vehicle equipped for towing away wrecked or disabled cars
toy car
a miniature nonfunctioning replica of a car, esp one that children play with
cable car
A cable car is a vehicle for taking people up mountains or steep hills . It is pulled by a moving cable.
car alarm
A car alarm is a device in a car which makes a loud noise if anyone tries to break into the vehicle .
car bomb
A car bomb is a bomb which is inside a car, van , or truck .
car boot
the place at the back of a car for putting luggage in
car chase
when one car is in quick pursuit of another
car coat
a short man's coat, designed to be worn when driving a car
car crash
a collision between motor vehicles
car crime
crime in which cars are stolen or in which things are stolen from cars
car-ferry
a vessel for transporting vehicles, in addition to passengers , across a body of water, esp as a regular service
car hire
the act of renting a car
car keys
a key or keys used to lock , unlock , and operate an automobile
car park
A car park is an area or building where people can leave their cars.
car part
a component of an automobile
car phone
A car phone is a mobile phone, especially one which is designed to be used in a car.
car pool
A car pool is an arrangement where a group of people take turns driving each other to work, or driving each other's children to school. In American English , car pool is sometimes used to refer simply to people travelling together in a car.
car port
A car port is a shelter for cars which is attached to a house and consists of a flat roof supported on pillars.
car radio
a radio built into the dashboard of an automobile
car seat
a seat in an automobile ; specif., a portable seat that fastens onto a car's built-in seat and is used for securing a small child
car sick
If someone feels car sick , they feel sick as a result of traveling in a car.
car thief
a person who steals automobiles
chair car
a railroad passenger car with pairs of adjustable seats on both sides of the aisle
club car
a railway carriage with comfortable extending chairs , a bar, and other comforts
coal car
a railroad car designed for transporting coal
flat car
a railroad car without raised sides or ends
fleet car
A car that is bought as one of a number owned and operated by a particular company, e. g . as company cars
funny car
a type of racing vehicle used on a drag strip, that resembles a standard automobile except in having large rear tires and a one-piece fiberglass body that must be raised for access
ghost car
an unmarked police car
hire car
a car that you rent for a specified, usually short, period
mail car
a railway coach specially constructed for the transportation of mail
motor car
A motor car is the same as a → car .
pace car
an official starter's car that leads the competing race cars around the track for one lap ( pace lap ) before moving off the track
panda car
A panda car is a police car.
prowl car
a police patrol car
race car
a car designed to travel at high speed for taking part in motor car races
radio car
a car equipped with a radio for communication
rally car
a car that has been specially designed or modified to be used in motor rallies
scout car
a fast lightly armoured vehicle used for reconnaissance
scrap car
an old or damaged car that is to be reprocessed by a scrap dealer
slot car
an electric toy racing car (often a model of a real racing car) that fits into a slotted racing track by means of a pin or blade ; the electric motor of each car is controlled by a handheld device operated by each player, as they race their cars against each other
squad car
A squad car is a car used by the police.
stock car
A stock car is an old car which has had changes made to it so that it is suitable for races in which the cars often crash into each other.
tank car
a large tank on wheels , for carrying liquids and gases by rail