Dictionary

autobahn en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈaʊ̯toˌbɑːn/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew Proto-Indo-European *tó- Proto-Hellenic *autós Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewder. Ancient Greek αὖ (aû) Ancient Greek τόν (tón) Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós) Ancient Greek αὐτο- (auto-)lbor. French auto- Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *m(y)owh₁éyeti Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin mōbilislbor. French mobile French automobilebor. German Automobil German Auto Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰon-eh₂ Proto-Germanic *banō Proto-West Germanic *banu Old High German *bana Middle High German ban German Bahn German Autobahnbor. English autobahn Borrowed from German Autobahn.

Meanings

1. The high-speed intercity highways of Germany and Austria.
   • On a recent afternoon a work crew and crane were affixing the tall lettering to the side of the team’s new stadium, just off the autobahn in Sinsheim, a few miles from Hoffenheim. 2009 January 22, Nicholas Kulish, “Soccer Titan Raises Profile of Tiny Village”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022:
   • Confusion reigned on German autobahns and highways at the start of one of the busiest holiday breaks of the year on Thursday after Google Maps wrongly indicated that vast swathes of them were closed. 2025 May 30, Kate Connolly, “Chaos on German autobahns as Google Maps wrongly says they are closed”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 26 Aug 2025:
2. (broadly) Any wide, high-speed road.
   • These ant autobahns function much the same as human highways to speed transport of goods and to reduce bumps and potholes in the path. 2016, Justin O. Schmidt, The Sting of the Wild, Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 112:

Forms

Deriveds

Infobahn

Translations (5)

bg аутоба́н (high-speed intercity highways of Germany and Austria) · bg автоба́н (high-speed intercity highways of Germany and Austria) · bg автоба́н (any wide, high-speed road — see also highway) · bg аутоба́н (any wide, high-speed road — see also highway) · bg магистра́ла (any wide, high-speed road — see also highway)