noun · verb · 3 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
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/ˌməʊtə(ɹ)ˈkeɪd/
/ˈməʊtə(ɹ)ˌkeɪd/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M OW1 T ER0 K EY2 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A procession of cars carrying VIPs, especially political figures.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
JFK was assassinated in a motorcade.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To travel in a motorcade.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a procession of people traveling in motor cars
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: procession
History
Etymology
Blend of motor + cavalcade.
Across languages
Translations
26 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
車隊 /车队
(chēduì)
— procession of cars
Chinese Mandarin:
汽車行列 /汽车行列
(qìchē hángliè)
— procession of cars
Dutch:
autocolonne
— procession of cars
Estonian:
autokolonn
— procession of cars
Finnish:
autokulkue
— procession of cars
French:
cortège motorisé
— procession of cars
Georgian:
ავტოკოლონა
(avṭoḳolona)
— procession of cars
German:
Autokolonne
— procession of cars
German:
Wagenkolonne
— procession of cars
Greek:
αυτοκινητοπομπή
(aftokinitopompí)
— procession of cars
Hungarian:
autósor
— procession of cars
Icelandic:
bílalest
— procession of cars
Italian:
corteo di automobili
— procession of cars
Italian:
corteo di auto
— procession of cars
Italian:
sfilata di automobili
— procession of cars
Japanese:
車列
(sharetsu)
— procession of cars
Eastern Mari:
автоколонно
(avtokolonno)
— procession of cars
Polish:
parada samochodowa
— procession of cars
Portuguese:
carreata
— procession of cars
Portuguese:
cortejo automóvel
— procession of cars
Russian:
автоколо́нна
(avtokolónna)
— procession of cars
Serbo-Croatian:
моторизирана пратња
— procession of cars
Serbo-Croatian:
motorizirana pratnja
— procession of cars