adj · noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˌɔːtəˈməʊtɪv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˌɔtəˈmoʊtɪv/
General-American:[ˌɔɾəˈmoʊɾɪv]
US, cot-caught-merger, dialectal:/ˌɑtəˈmoʊtɪv/of CA
US, cot-caught-merger, dialectal:[ˌɑɾəˈmoʊɾɪv]of CA
Canada, dialectal:/ˌɒtəˈmoʊtɪv/of the US
Canada, dialectal:[ˌɒɾəˈmoʊɾɪv]of the US
Australian:/ˌoːtəˈməʉ.tɪv/
Australian:[ˌoːtəˈməʉ.ɾɪv]
Australian:/ˌoːtəˈmɐʉ.tɪv/
Australian:[ˌoːtəˈmɐʉ.ɾɪv]
CMU ARPABET:AO2 T AH0 M OW1 T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of, or relating to motor vehicles.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A shop or company that sells motor vehicle parts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The field, business, or market segment that concerns automobiles, especially their manufacture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
His business is a machine shop that works mainly in automotive, aerospace, and medical.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adjective
Meaning 5
of or relating to motor vehicles
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
automotive supplies
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective satellite
Meaning 6
containing within itself the means of propulsion or movement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a self-propelled vehicle
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: self-propelled, self-propelling
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder.? Proto-Indo-European *sóder.? Proto-Indo-European *h2ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón)? Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-)lbor. English auto- Anglo-Norman motifder. Middle French motifder. Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh1- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *m(y)owh1éyetider. Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Latin mōtus Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Late Latin mōtīvumder. Middle English motif English motive English automotive From auto- + motive.
Across languages
Translations
34 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
automobilistik
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Bulgarian:
самоходен
(samohoden)
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Catalan:
automotor
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Chinese Mandarin:
汽車 /汽车
(qìchē)
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Chinese Mandarin:
機動車 /机动车
(jīdòngchē)
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Finnish:
itseliikkuva
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
French:
automobile
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
French:
automoteur
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Indonesian:
swacala
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Macedonian:
самоо́ден
(samoóden)
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Malay:
automotif
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Polish:
samobieżny
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Portuguese:
automotivo
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Russian:
самохо́дный
(samoxódnyj)
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Spanish:
automotor
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Swedish:
självgående
— having the ability to move by itself; self-propelled or self-propelling
Albanian:
automobilistik
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Amharic:
የመኪና
(yämäkina)
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Catalan:
automotor
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Czech:
automobilový
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Finnish:
auto-
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
French:
automobile
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Indonesian:
otomotif
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Italian:
automobilistico
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Macedonian:
авто-
(avto-)
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Malay:
automotif
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Polish:
motoryzacyjny
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Polish:
samochodowy
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Portuguese:
automotivo
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Russian:
автомоби́льный
(avtomobílʹnyj)
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Russian:
авто-
(avto-)
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Spanish:
automotor
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
Spanish:
automovilístico
— of, or relating to motor vehicles
