Originally, when they were first made, they were called automobiles. How did someone get the word "cars" from the word "automobiles?"
2007-02-07 08:28:46 · 10 answers · asked by LSF 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It's funny but the word actually evolved from "to move" going over definitions like "to run" and adapting to the technology until the current "car" usage.
From old to new, showing how it's moved through the languages and from which languages it's passed to which:
We can trace it back to sanskrit: char
: to move
Latin: carrus(masc.sing.), carrum(neuter,sing.)
: probably derived from 'currere' which means to run
Late Latin: carra
: plural form of carrum
Italian: carro
Spanish: carro
Provencal: car, char
Danish: karre
Swedish: karra
Middle Dutch: carre
Dutch: kar (feminine)
Old Celtic: karros, karrom
Bretonic: karr
Manx: carr
Old Welsh: carr
Welsh: ca'r
Old High German: charra
German: karre
Old North French: carre
French: char
Middle English: char, carre
Modern English: car
2007-02-07 08:40:34 · answer #1 · answered by urbanbard7 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The simple truth is that the word car is from the railroad- carriage
and in common use before 1840. It was a free standing word that applied to anything with axles.
Early electricity experiments were also using "cars" as a
description as early as say 1840.
Automobile also predates the gasoline powered engine vehicle by decades.
When the first naval torpedos were developed they were called automobile torpedos.
Automobile, or the Electric Carriage, car, etc.
Tis that simple.
2007-02-07 10:20:10 · answer #2 · answered by cruisingyeti 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Etymology: Middle English carre, from Anglo-French, from Latin carra, plural of carrum, alteration of carrus, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish & Middle Welsh carr (vehicle); akin to Latin currere (to run)
Car pre-dates automobile. I guess you could say that an automobile is a type of car.
2007-02-07 08:32:27 · answer #3 · answered by Yep! 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"Citizens Against Road Slaughter" (just kidding)
I think it's a shortened version of carriage or cart or maybe it has to do with the carburetor.
Interesting question tho.
2007-02-07 08:34:19 · answer #4 · answered by kjbopp 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they cart you around. They are carriers. Car is the more basic root. Look into IndoEuropean roots and see that automobile is a more snooty formation for the basic idea of carrying things around.
2007-02-07 08:34:28 · answer #5 · answered by fjpoblam 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We call the 1998 Expedition "the truck" cuz basically it is. We call the 2004 Mustang "the '04" and the 2005 Mustang "the '05" and we call my Fusion the "FUUUUSion" dragging out the first part like one of the granddaughters did it right after we got it. Not too original but it works.
2016-03-15 08:54:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
etymology of car
1301, "wheeled vehicle," from Norm.-Fr. carre, from L. carrum, carrus (pl. carra), orig. "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot," from Gaul. karros, from PIE *krsos, from base *kers- "to run." Extension to "automobile" is 1896. Car-sick first recorded 1908, on model of sea sick. U.S. carport is from 1939. Car bomb first 1972, in reference to Northern Ireland. Car pool is 1942 (n.), 1962 (v.).
2007-02-07 08:32:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
they are called cars because the word cars comes from the word carriage
2007-02-07 08:32:36 · answer #8 · answered by Dr Universe 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
perhaps an abreviation of "carts"
im not sure - good question though, makes me wonder.
2007-02-07 08:31:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
because auto is for driving
2007-02-07 13:20:17 · answer #10 · answered by barber121 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋