vehicle
Americannoun
-
any means in or by which someone travels or something is carried or conveyed; a means of conveyance or transport.
a motor vehicle; space vehicles.
-
a conveyance moving on wheels, runners, tracks, or the like, as a cart, sled, automobile, or tractor.
-
a means of transmission or passage.
Air is the vehicle of sound.
-
a carrier, as of infection.
-
a medium of communication, expression, or display.
The novel is a fitting vehicle for his talents. Language is the vehicle of thought.
-
Theater, Movies. a play, screenplay, or the like, having a role suited to the talents of and often written for a specific performer.
-
a means of accomplishing a purpose.
College is a vehicle for success.
-
Rhetoric. the thing or idea to which the subject of a metaphor is compared, as “rose” in “she is a rose.”
-
Pharmacology. a substance, usually fluid, possessing little or no medicinal action, used as a medium for active remedies.
-
Painting. a liquid, as oil, in which a pigment is mixed before being applied to a surface.
noun
-
any conveyance in or by which people or objects are transported, esp one fitted with wheels
-
a medium for the expression, communication, or achievement of ideas, information, power, etc
-
pharmacol a therapeutically inactive substance mixed with the active ingredient to give bulk to a medicine
-
Also called: base. a painting medium, such as oil, in which pigments are suspended
-
(in the performing arts) a play, musical composition, etc, that enables a particular performer to display his talents
-
a rocket excluding its payload
Pronunciation
Because the primary stress in vehicle is on the first syllable, the in the second syllable tends to disappear: . A pronunciation with primary stress on the second syllable and a fully pronounced is usually considered nonstandard: . In the adjective vehicular, where the primary stress is normally on the second syllable, the is always pronounced.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of vehicle
First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin vehiculum, from veh(ere) “to carry, convey, ride” + -i- -i- + -culum -cle 2
Explanation
A vehicle gets you or your stuff where it needs to go. Even though the grocery store is only a few block away, you'll probably want to use a vehicle to get there, so you won't have to carry your groceries all the way home. A vehicle is anything that transports a person or thing, usually a car. But a vehicle can be a truck, a plane, a bus, a blimp or even a shopping cart, anything that transports people or things. Vehicle is also often used in the sense of a medium of expression. For example, if you're an artist, your art is the vehicle for your creative ideas. Some people believe that bread is just a vehicle for mayonnaise.
Vocabulary lists containing vehicle
Automobiles
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Sports in America"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 8
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The driver exited the highway, and as a deputy got out of their patrol car to approach the stopped vehicle, the driver drove onto the base.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
“They are made across a variety of manufacturers, across a variety of vehicle shapes and sizes.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
In rare cases, the wiring could overheat and cause a fire, even when the vehicle isn’t running, the automaker said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
Specialists in white protective suits worked around the vehicle to examine the corpse before removing it.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
We set off down the road for the campground and had walked about a quarter of a mile when from behind there was the crunching sound of a motorized vehicle proceeding cautiously through snow.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
