automobility
|au-to-mo-bi-li-ty|
🇺🇸
/ˌɔːtəmoʊˈbɪlɪti/
🇬🇧
/ˌɔːtəməʊˈbɪlɪti/
car-based mobility
Etymology
'automobility' originates from Modern English, specifically composed of the prefix 'auto-' (ultimately from Greek 'autos' meaning 'self', used here via 'automobile') and the noun 'mobility' (from Latin 'mobilis' meaning 'movable').
'automobility' was formed in the 20th century by combining 'automobile' and 'mobility'. 'Automobile' entered English from French 'automobile' (from Greek 'autos' + Latin 'mobilis'), while 'mobility' comes from Latin 'mobilis' through Old French and Middle English to modern English.
Initially it meant simply 'mobility by automobile', but over time it evolved into a broader academic and cultural term describing car-dependent infrastructures, social practices, and systems.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the ability or capacity to travel by automobile; mobility provided by cars.
Automobility expanded rapidly in the 20th century, enabling longer daily commutes.
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Noun 2
a socio-technical system or cultural phenomenon in which society, infrastructure, and planning are organized around the automobile (car-centric systems).
Many urban scholars study automobility to understand how car-centric planning affects land use and the environment.
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Last updated: 2025/11/27 05:44