limousine

noun

lim·​ou·​sine ˈli-mə-ˌzēn How to pronounce limousine (audio) ˌli-mə-ˈzēn How to pronounce limousine (audio)
Synonyms of limousinenext
1
: a large luxurious often chauffeur-driven sedan that usually has a glass partition separating the driver's seat from the passenger compartment
2
: a large vehicle for transporting passengers to and from an airport

Examples of limousine in a Sentence

The bride and groom rode in a limousine from the church to the reception hall.
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.
Meanwhile, fans, mostly teenage girls (some carrying their schoolbooks), crowd the barriers at the Plaza Hotel, penetrate its halls, press their faces to the windows of the limousine carrying the band to the Sullivan show, and chase it down the street. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024 Most of Jag’s efforts since Ford bought it in 1990 for $2.5 billion went in the other direction: seeking to build midsize and compact sport sedans that would sell in higher numbers than its traditional limousines. —Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Nov. 2024 In the 1980s, for example, Trump commissioned a signature series of limousines from Cadillac (GM). —Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 24 Oct. 2024 In the footage, Carpenter just misses the limousine carrying the president and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy but records other vehicles in the motorcade driving down Lemmon Avenue toward downtown Dallas. —Landon Mion, Fox News, 29 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for limousine 

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "automobile having a fully enclosed passenger compartment with the driver's seat protected only by the windshield and a forward extension of the roof," borrowed from French, noun derivative from feminine of limousin "of limoges or limousin, France"

Note: The motivation behind the name has not been satisfactorily established. The authors of (vol. 5, p. 347, note 4) suggest that the allusion is to French limousine in the sense "cape-like coat of goatskins or coarse wool worn by wagoners, shepherds, etc.," the roof over the driver being compared to the protective cloak. Such a comparison has parallels—note French capote "hooded cloak" and "top of a convertible," as well as English bonnet entry 1. A difficulty with this hypothesis is that from the word's earliest appearance in French, apparently in 1900, it refers to the entire carriage style, not the covering over the driver. According to Trésor de la langue française, a different explanation is offered in the journal La vie parisienne, issue of December 10, 1904, which attributes the invention of this style to the engineer Charles Jeantaud (1840-1906), who was born in Limoges. However, none of the available photos of the battery-powered vehicles designed by Jeantaud show any resemblance to early limousines.

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of limousine was in 1902

Phrases Containing limousine

Dictionary Entries Near limousine

Limousin

limousine

limousine liberal

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Limousine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limousine. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

limousine

noun
lim·​ou·​sine ˈlim-ə-ˌzēn How to pronounce limousine (audio)
ˌlim-ə-ˈzēn
1
: a large luxurious automobile often driven by a chauffeur
2
: a large vehicle for passengers going to and from an airport
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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