vehicle

noun

ve·​hi·​cle ˈvē-ə-kəl How to pronounce vehicle (audio)
also
ˈvē-ˌhi-kəl How to pronounce vehicle (audio)
Synonyms of vehiclenext
1
: a means of carrying or transporting something
planes, trains, and other vehicles
: such as
a
: motor vehicle
b
: a piece of mechanized equipment
2
: an agent of transmission : carrier
3
: a medium through which something is expressed, achieved, or displayed
an investment vehicle
especially : a work created especially to display the talents of a particular performer
4
a
: an inert medium (such as a syrup) in which a medicinally active agent is administered
b
: any of various media acting usually as solvents, carriers, or binders for active ingredients or pigments

Synonyms of vehicle

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Examples of vehicle in a Sentence

cars, trucks, and other vehicles The vehicle's driver was severely injured in the crash. Have you seen his new car? It's a fine-looking vehicle. Water and insects can be vehicles of infection. art as a vehicle for self-expression Words and pictures are vehicles of communication. These big-budget movies are star vehicles for well-known actors.
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 festival, with a capacity of 80,000 people, also was hit with mud and rain in 2023 as many attendees were trapped on its grounds, where vehicle traffic was temporarily limited and some hiked in the mud to nearby towns. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026 Authorities are seeking the confiscation of four luxury vehicles worth approximately 825,000 euros, or about $957,000. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026 During the encounter, Molano was allowed to contact another person to take possession of the vehicle, which still contained the cinnamon rolls and their storage containers, Fortune said. — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Another is investigating dozens of incidents in which Teslas using partial self-driving software ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road, sometimes crashing into other vehicles and causing injuries. — Bernard Condon, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vehicle

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & Latin; French véhicule, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin vehiculum "medium, agent of transmission," going back to Latin, "wheeled vehicle, means of transport," from vehere "to carry, convey" + -culum, instrumental suffix (going back to Indo-European *-tlom) — more at way entry 1

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Time Traveler
The first known use of vehicle was in 1612

Phrases Containing vehicle

Browse Nearby Words

vehement
vehicle
vehicular
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vehicle. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

vehicle

noun
ve·​hi·​cle ˈvē-ˌ(h)ik-əl How to pronounce vehicle (audio) ˈvē-ə-kəl How to pronounce vehicle (audio)
1
: a means by which something is passed along, expressed, achieved, or shown
movies are vehicles of ideas
2
: something used to transport persons or goods
a space vehicle

Medical Definition

vehicle

noun
ve·​hi·​cle ˈvē-ˌ(h)ik-əl How to pronounce vehicle (audio) ˈvē-ə-kəl How to pronounce vehicle (audio)
1
: an inert medium in which a medicinally active agent is administered
2
: an agent of transmission
a vehicle of infection

More from Merriam-Webster on vehicle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vehicle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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