char-à-banc

or char·a·banc

[ shar-uh-bang, -bangk; French sha-ra-bahn ]

noun

, British.

, plural char-à-bancs [-bangz, -bangks, sh, a, -, r, a, -, bahn].

1. a large bus used on sightseeing tours, especially one with open sides and no center aisle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of char-à-banc¹

1810–20; back formation from French char-à-bancs literally, car with benches, the -s being taken as plural ending of word as a whole

Example Sentences

It was Joule with a long thermometer in his hand, which he would not trust by itself in the char-à-banc, coming slowly up the hill behind him, lest it should get broken.

From Project Gutenberg

But there, comfortably and safely seated in the char-à-banc, was his bride—the sympathetic companion and sharer in his work of after years.

From Project Gutenberg

“Voilà votre affaire,” he said, and indicated a machine that would have been out of date when the first char-à-banc was constructed.

From Project Gutenberg

The party, some half-dozen in number, and of the English nation, had arrived at Chamouny in the night, later by some hours than they ought to have done, owing to the break-down of their nondescript vehicle, called a char-à-banc, just after they had quitted St. Martin, a quiet little village, whence the view of Mont Blanc is splendid in the extreme.

From Project Gutenberg

During their quiet journey back to St. Martin, in the char-à-banc, they, having nothing better to do, began discussing the episode, as John Rayner himself named it.

From Project Gutenberg