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taxi

Etymology and origin of the English word taxi

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Clipping
First attested
1907

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈtæksi/[1]

Etymology

It is short for taxicab or taximeter cab,[2][3][4][5] from taximeter (1898), from French taximètre, from German Taxameter (1890), coined from Medieval Latin taxa (“tax, charge”) (see tax) and meter.[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A motor cab with a taximeter: 1907, when such cabs were introduced in London.[2][3][7]

Semantic evolution

As slang for a small aeroplane it is from 1911,[7] and the verb, of an aircraft moving slowly on the ground before take-off, is also from 1911, perhaps alluding to the way a taxi driver cruises slowly looking for fares.[2][3] To travel by taxi is from 1918.[2] A taxi dancer, a woman hired as a partner at a dance hall, is from 1930.[3] In American football, the taxi squad (1966) is said to come from a team owner who gave reserve players jobs with his cab company.[3]

Timeline

  • 1898 – taximeter.[3]
  • 1907 – a taxicab.[2][7]
  • 1911 – of an aircraft, to move on the ground.[2]
  • 1918 – to travel by taxi.[2]
  • 1930 – taxi dancer.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A car with a driver that carries passengers for a fare, usually shown on a meter; a cab.

Verb

  1. Of an aircraft, to move slowly along the ground before take-off or after landing.
  2. To travel by taxi.

Word family

  • taxiplane
  • taxicab
  • taximan
  • taxiway
  • air taxi
  • taxi dancer
  • taxi squad
  • taxi stand

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Taxi.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/taxi. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·