combi

noun

com·bi ˈkäm-bē

plural combis

: a device or vehicle having two or more functions or capabilities

Combis haul between 30 and 35 tons of cargo, along with 275 passengers …—

Jeffrey Leib, The Denver Post, 27 Dec. 1998

Monday, he polishes the collection of copper-bottomed pots and cleans the "combi"—a multi-tiered stand-alone convection and steam oven in which bread is baked.—

Domenica Marchetti, The Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2014

—often used before another noun

She roasts the pork in a combi oven, which blasts waves of heat, first moist then dry.—

Kim Severson, The New York Times, 3 Feb. 2010

: a skiing competition combining two events : combined

Known as the super combi, it is composed of one downhill run, usually held in the morning, followed by an afternoon slalom run.—

Kelley McMillan, The New York Times, 4 Feb. 2012

Word History

Etymology

short for combination entry 1 (probably after German Kombi, short for Kombinationskraftwagen "motor vehicle able to carry both cargo and passengers," applied especially to models of the Volkswagen Type 2 van first manufactured in 1950)

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of combi was in 1956

See more words from the same year