DictionaryAI

vehicle

SayVEE-uh-kuhl/ˈvi.ə.kəl/AUS/ˈvɪː(ə).kəl/UKVEE-i-kuhl/ˈviː.ɪ.kəl/

Pluralvehicles

7 meanings of vehicle

Practice

  1. 1
    transport machinenouncountable
    A machine like a car, bus, or truck that carries people or things from place to place.

    Like a box on wheels that moves you and your things around.

    The vehicle stopped at the red light.

    Several vehicles were stuck in the deep snow overnight.

    UsageIn everyday talk, people usually say car or truck.

    Similarconveyance

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable
    Something used to achieve a goal or to express or show something, such as a film made to show off an actor.

    Like a ladder you use to reach something high up.

    The company was only a vehicle for moving money around.

    The movie was a vehicle to show off the singer's acting.

    UsageSay a vehicle for something.

    Similarmeans, instrument, mechanism, channel, tool

  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A liquid or cream that carries the main ingredient, like the base of a medicine or the liquid part of paint.

    Like the water you mix with medicine powder so it's easy to swallow.

    The cream uses a gentle vehicle so it won't irritate the skin.

    Doctors picked an oily vehicle to help the drug soak in.

    Similarbase, medium, carrier

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of vehicle apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came from Latin vehiculum, meaning "carriage," from vehere, "to carry," through French véhicule.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts