Standard Lemma guide

carload

noun · 4 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: /ˈkɑːləʊd/
  • UK: [ˈkhɑːləʊd]
  • US: /ˈkɑɹloʊd/
  • US: [ˈkhɑɹloʊd]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA1 R L OW2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The contents of an automobile (passengers, supplies, etc.) for one trip.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I brought a carload of flowers to her.
  • We brought a carload of kids and camping gear on our road trip out west.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The quantity of goods that can be carried in a freight car.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US

Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport

Examples

  • less-than-carload freight
  • By 1887 the company had grown so large that it was buying its flour and sugar by the carload.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a gathering of passengers sufficient to fill an automobile

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gathering, assemblage

4

noun

Meaning 4

the amount of cargo that can be held by a boat or ship or a freight car

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he imported wine by the boatload

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: boatload, shipload

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: large indefinite quantity, large indefinite amount

History

Etymology

From car + load.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: autokuorma — content of an automobile