automobile

1 of 3

noun (1)

au·​to·​mo·​bile ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio)
ˈȯ-tə-mō-ˌbēl, 
ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio)
Synonyms of automobilenext
: a usually four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation
automobile intransitive verb
automobilist
ˌȯ-tə-mō-ˈbē-list How to pronounce automobile (audio) ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbē-list How to pronounce automobile (audio)
noun

automobile

2 of 3

adjective

: automotive

automobilist

3 of 3

noun (2)

au·​to·​mo·​bil·​ist ¦ȯ-tə-mō-¦bē-list How to pronounce automobilist (audio)
ˌȯ-tə-ˈmō-ˌbē-list
plural -s
: one who uses an automobile : motorist

Synonyms of automobile

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Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of automobile in a Sentence

Noun (1) He drives an expensive automobile. browsed online for used automobiles for sale
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Here the view from an automobile traveling at speed blurs the landscape into a series of abstract forms—the way the world appears is changed by the velocity of technology, and so is your experience of it. — Caitlín Doherty, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 The entrance of the famed Inn at Spanish Bay, in Northern California’s Pebble Beach, had been festooned with some of the world’s most exotic automobiles—swooned over by camera-toting adorers—just a few days prior during Monterey Car Week. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Pre-19th-century houses tend to be built right up against busy main roads (for ease of access in pre-automobile times). — Jenny Xie, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2022 The Transportation Committee, chaired by Kerry McCormack, has expanded its purview to examine regional transportation policies, and focus more on non-automobile forms of transportation, like rail, bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters. — Courtney Astolfi, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2022 See All Example Sentences for automobile

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

derivative of automobile entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from French, "self-propelled," from auto- auto- + mobile mobile entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1881, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of automobile was in 1876

Rhymes for automobile

See All Rhymes for automobile

Browse Nearby Words

automimicry
automobile
automobile insurance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Automobile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automobile. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

automobile

1 of 2 adjective
au·​to·​mo·​bile ˈȯt-ə-mō-ˌbēl How to pronounce automobile (audio) ˌȯt-ə-mō-ˈbē(ə)l How to pronounce automobile (audio)
ˌȯt-ə-ˈmō-ˌbēl
: of or relating to automobiles

automobile

2 of 2 noun
: a usually four-wheeled vehicle with its own power system (as an internal combustion engine) designed for passenger transportation
automobile verb
automobilist
-mō-ˈbē-ləst How to pronounce automobile (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on automobile

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about automobile

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