horseless carriage
The term "horseless carriage" was used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe early automobiles, highlighting their departure from horse-drawn carriages.
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Definition
C1Historical
(archaic)An early automobile designed before World War I, notable for not being horse-drawn.
Example
- The museum displayed a beautifully restored horseless carriage from the early 1900s.
C1Figurative
(figurative)Something new and innovative that is described using familiar terms.
Example
- The smartphone was initially seen as a horseless carriage, blending the idea of a phone with a computer.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "horseless carriage":