What does "taxi" mean?
A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare.
Taxi
/ˈtæk.si/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare.
- Grammar: taxi is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: cab, taxicab, autobus, become airborne.
- Useful contrasts: drive, park, passenger vehicle.
- Usage evidence: I got a taxi in front of the station.
How to use "taxi"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "taxi" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "taxi" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "taxi" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "taxi" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "taxi" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cab" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "taxi", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. countable, uncountable
""Taxi," he called. And when one pulled up to the curb with screeching brakes he ordered, "The nearest restaurant.""
- 2 a car driven by a person whose job is to take passengers where they want to go in exchange for money wordnet
- 3 An aircraft used for practicing ground manoeuvres. countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable
"Capt. Dawes and Bellairs were out with the Deperdussin taxi, and also with the brevet machine, rolling."
- 4 The movement of an aircraft across an airport's surface under its own power; a phase of aircraft operation involving this movement. countable, uncountable
"During taxi, the flaps and slats are extended and the second engine (if not already running) is started."
- 5 Synonym of shared taxi. Iran, South-Africa, countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To move an aircraft on the ground under its own power.
"taxi down the runway"
- 2 travel slowly wordnet
- 3 To travel by taxicab.
"[H]e had taxied to the waterfront bent upon a business in which nostalgia had no part[.]"
- 4 ride in a taxicab wordnet
Example
"I got a taxi in front of the station."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "taxi"?
Common synonyms include: cab, taxicab, autobus, become airborne, bicycle, bike.
How do you use "taxi" in a sentence?
I got a taxi in front of the station.
How do you pronounce "taxi"?
Pronounced /ˈtæk.si/.
Etymology
Shortened from taximeter cab, taximeter (“automatic meter that records distance and fare”) from French taximètre, from German Taxameter (whence also English taxameter), coined from Medieval Latin taxa (“tax, charge”). More at tax, task. The aviation sense originally derived for a slang term for training aircraft used for practicing ground operations, which were said to drive around the airfield like a taxicab, and subsequently applied to all aircraft ground movements.