carEnglishOxford American Thesauruscar noun 1 an officer drove up in a car: automobile, motor, machine; informal wheels, heap, crate, (old) banger, jalopy, limo; North American, informal auto; US, informal hooptie; British, dated motor car; archaic horseless carriage. 2 they set off up the train to eat in the dining car: carriage, coach; British saloon; Indian bogie.