hansom

noun

han·​som ˈhan(t)-səm How to pronounce hansom (audio)
Synonyms of hansomnext
: a light 2-wheeled covered carriage with the driver's seat elevated behind

called also hansom cab

Illustration of hansom

Illustration of hansom

Examples of hansom in a Sentence

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.
The streetscape, the shopfronts, the hansom cabs, the coal smoke, the gaslights, the stink? — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026 In Franco Zeffirelli’s lavish production, the moment is an awe-inspiring spectacle, evoking the Latin Quarter in Paris and bustling with some 250 people onstage — and a donkey and a horse, who pulls a hansom cab onstage for a dramatic entrance. — New York Times, 17 May 2022 The three musicians have grown from talented tweens to svelte, beyond-hansom thirty somethings. — Doug MacCash, NOLA.com, 17 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Joseph A. Hansom †1882 English architect

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hansom was in 1847

Rhymes for hansom

See All Rhymes for hansom

Browse Nearby Words

hansh
hansom
Hanson
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

hansom

noun
han·​som ˈhan(t)-səm How to pronounce hansom (audio)
: a light two-wheeled covered carriage with the driver's seat elevated behind

called also hansom cab

More from Merriam-Webster on hansom

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hansom

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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