Automobiles refers to self-propelled vehicles designed for passenger transport, typically powered by internal combustion engines or electric drivetrains. The term encompasses a wide range of cars, trucks, vans, and similar conveyances used for personal or commercial travel. In everyday language, it denotes the collective concept of motorized passenger transportation rather than a specific make or model.
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"The city is investing in charging stations to support a growing fleet of automobiles."
"Automobiles have transformed how people commute, shop, and socialize across long distances."
"He collects vintage automobiles and attends classic car shows every summer."
"Regulations on automobile emissions are a key policy area for reducing urban air pollution."
Automobiles is a hybrid coinage formed in the late 19th century through a blend of the French word automobile, from the Greek prefix auto- meaning 'self' and the Latin mobilis meaning 'movable', with the English suffix -eable evolving in later coinages to denote capability. The root term automobile itself entered English in the 1890s as a functional label for self-propelled vehicles, contrasting with horse-drawn conveyances. The pluralized form automobiles likely emerged as the word began to refer to a broad class of vehicles rather than a single machine, with usage expanding alongside mass production of cars in the early 20th century. Early English texts distinguish automobiles from steam-powered carriages and bicycles, and over time the term gained traction, especially in industrialized nations, to describe privately owned passenger cars and fleets alike. By mid-20th century, automobiles had become synonymous with the automobile industry and consumer motor transport, sustaining usage into modern times even as electric and hybrid variants evolved.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "automobiles" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "automobiles"
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Pronounce as /ˌɔː.təˈmoʊ.bɪlz/ in US English or /ˌɔː.təˈməʊ.biːlz/ in UK English. The stress falls on the third syllable: au-TO-me-bles, with secondary stress on the first syllable in many dialects. Start with the 'aw' as in 'thought,' then a quick 'tuh' or 'tuh-m' before the primary stress on 'mo' and a light final 'bulz' sound. Mouth position: rounded lips for the 'ɔː' vowel, neutral to slightly tensed jaw for 'tə,' high tongue for 'moʊ' (US) or 'məʊ' (UK). Final 'bils' has a light /b/ followed by /ɪ/ (short i) or a schwa in rapid speech, and ends with /lz/.
Common errors include misplacing stress (treating it as a flat three-syllable word) and conflating /moʊ/ with /məʊ/ or omitting the final /lz/ cluster. Some speakers mispronounce it as 'auto-mobiles’ with equal emphasis or mispronounce the middle vowel as a full /ɒ/ in UK speech. Correction: keep primary stress on the third syllable 'mo' of 'mo-bile' and ensure the final /lz/ is a voiced consonant cluster; avoid devoicing the final /z/ or dropping the /l/ before the /z/.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˌɔː.təˈmoʊ.bɪlz/ with a clear /oʊ/ in the second syllable and a pronounced final /lz/. UK English tends to have /ˌɔː.təˈməʊ.biːlz/ with a longer /əʊ/ and a slightly lighter /l/ before the /z/. Australian English typically mirrors US rhotics but with a slightly flatter vowels, so /ˌɔː.təˈmɒː.biːlz/ or /ˌɔː.təˈmɒː.biːlz/ depending on speaker; expect non-rhoticity to be variable, sometimes pronounced with a reduced /ə/ in unstressed syllables. Focus on the vowel in the second syllable and the final /lz/ cluster, which remains audible across accents.
The difficulty comes from the three-syllable rhythm with a non-initial stress on the second half and a final consonant cluster /lz/. The diphthong in the second-to-last syllable /moʊ/ or /məʊ/ requires precise tongue height and lip rounding. Quick speech can reduce vowels or blur the /l/ into a syllabic sound, so speakers often truncate to /ˌɔː.təˈmoː.bɪlz/ or drop the /l/ before /z/. Practice by isolating the three stressed segments and the final /lz/ to maintain clarity.
There is no silent letter in the standard pronunciation. All letters contribute to sound: the first syllable /ˌɔː/ includes the vowel sound, the /t/ is pronounced, and the sequence /ə/ (or /ə/) /moʊ/ or /məʊ/ expresses the core syllables, followed by /bɪlz/ (or /bɪlz/). Some rapid speech variants may elide a schwa in the first syllable, but the final /l/ and /z/ typically remain audible. Ensure you articulate each consonant and maintain the final /lz/ cluster.
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