car

¹

[ kahr ]

noun

1. an automobile.
2. a vehicle running on rails, as a streetcar or railroad car.
3. the part of an elevator, balloon, modern airship, etc., that carries the passengers, freight, etc.
4. British Dialect. any wheeled vehicle, as a farm cart or wagon.
5. Literary. a chariot, as of war or triumph.
6. Archaic. cart; carriage.

car

²

[ kahr ]

adjective

, Chiefly Scot.

1. left-handed.
2. sinister.

CAR

³

1. computer-assisted retrieval.

car.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. carat; carats.

CAR

¹

abbreviation for

1. compound annual return

car

²

/ kɑː /

noun

1. 1. Also calledmotorcarautomobile a self-propelled road vehicle designed to carry passengers, esp one with four wheels that is powered by an internal-combustion engine
   2. ( 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. a railway vehicle for passengers only, such as a sleeping car or buffet car
4. a railway carriage or van
5. the enclosed platform of a lift
6. a poetic word for chariot

Other Words From

• carless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of car¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English carre, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin carra (feminine singular), from Latin, neuter plural of carrum, variant of carrus “baggage cart, freight wagon,” from Gaulish; akin to Old Irish carr “wheeled vehicle”

Origin of car²

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English ( Scots ), from Scots Gaelic ceàrr “false, left, wrong”

Origin of car³

First recorded in 1980–85

Word History and Origins

Origin of car¹

C14: from Anglo-French carre, ultimately related to Latin carra, carrum two-wheeled wagon, probably of Celtic origin; compare Old Irish carr

Related Words

• auto
• automobile
• bus
• convertible
• jeep
• limousine
• machine
• motor
• pickup
• ride
• station wagon
• truck
• van
• wagon