taxi English · revision 7040

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1907}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtæksi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is short for [[taxicab]] or taximeter cab,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[taximeter]] (1898), from French [[m|fr|taximètre]], from German Taxameter (1890), coined from Medieval Latin [[m|la-med|taxa|t=tax, charge]] (see [[tax]]) and [[meter]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A motor cab with a taximeter: 1907, when such cabs were introduced in London.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As slang for a small aeroplane it is from 1911,^(OED 1989) 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.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) To travel by taxi is from 1918.^(Barnhart 1988) A ''taxi dancer'', a woman hired as a partner at a dance hall, is from 1930.^(Etymonline) In American football, the ''taxi squad'' (1966) is said to come from a team owner who gave reserve players jobs with his cab company.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1898 – taximeter.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1907 – a taxicab.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1911 – of an aircraft, to move on the ground.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1918 – to travel by taxi.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1930 – taxi dancer.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A car with a driver that carries passengers for a fare, usually shown on a meter; a [[cab]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of an aircraft, to move slowly along the ground before take-off or after landing.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To travel by taxi.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[taxiplane]]

+ * [[taxicab]]

+ * [[taximan]]

+ * [[taxiway]]

+ * [[air taxi]]

+ * [[taxi dancer]]

+ * [[taxi squad]]

+ * [[taxi stand]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cab]]

+ * [[taximeter]]

+ * [[tax]]

+ * [[meter]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}