omnibus

/ˌɑmnəˈbʌs/

/ˈɒmnɪbəs/

Other forms: omnibuses

An omnibus is another word for a bus, as in a large vehicle carrying lots of passengers. Other names are autobus and coach.

This word has bus in it, and that's the main meaning of omnibus. As a book, an omnibus is collection of articles either all on the same subject or written by a single author. An omnibus of Joyce Carol Oates would fill more shelves than all of Shakespeare’s plays. A third meaning is something that covers a lot of different subjects at once, like an omnibus bill that has legislation about gun control, transportation, and parking meters.

Definitions of omnibus

1. noun

   a vehicle carrying many passengers; used for public transport
   synonyms: autobus, bus, charabanc, coach, double-decker, jitney, motorbus, motorcoach, passenger vehicle

   types:

   minibus

   a light bus (4 to 10 passengers)

   school bus

   a bus used to transport children to or from school

   trackless trolley, trolley coach, trolleybus

   a passenger bus with an electric motor that draws power from overhead wires

   type of:

   public transport

   conveyance for passengers or mail or freight
2. noun

   an anthology of articles on a related subject or an anthology of the works of a single author
   type of:

   anthology

   a collection of selected literary passages
3. adjective

   providing for many things at once
   “an omnibus law”

   synonyms:

   comprehensive, overarching

   including all or everything