taxi

/ˈtæksi/

/ˈtæksi/

Other forms: taxis; taxied; taxiing; taxies; taxying

Running late? Call a taxi. A taxi is a car you hire to drive you somewhere. In some big cities, all you have to do is raise your hand and yell "taxi!" and a taxi will pull up next to you.

You can also refer to a taxi as a cab or a taxicab. Most taxis are cars, although boats for hire are sometimes also called taxis. As a verb, taxi describes what airplanes do when they move very slowly on a runway. Officially, taxi is short for taximeter cab, as they were originally named at the turn of the 20th century. Today the taximeter, which records distance and fare, is usually just called a meter.

Definitions of taxi

1. noun

   a car driven by a person whose job is to take passengers where they want to go in exchange for money
   synonyms: cab, hack, taxicab

   types:

   gypsy cab

   a taxicab that cruises for customers although it is licensed only to respond to calls

   minicab

   a minicar used as a taxicab

   type of:

   auto, automobile, car, machine, motorcar

   a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
2. verb

   travel slowly
   “The plane taxied down the runway”

   type of:

   go, locomote, move, travel

   change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
3. verb

   ride in a taxicab
   synonyms: cab

   type of:

   ride

   be carried or travel on or in a vehicle