What does autobahn mean?
An autobahn is one of the high-speed controlled-access highways of Germany and Austria, forming one of the world's most famous road networks. Unlike most motorways elsewhere, substantial portions of the autobahn system carry no general speed limit, making it internationally renowned among driving enthusiasts. The word comes directly from German, combining 'Auto' (car) with 'Bahn' (way or track), and entered English in the twentieth century as the German road network became widely known. In everyday usage, speakers say 'the autobahn' much as Americans say 'the interstate' or Britons say 'the motorway'. Because of its strong association with Germany, applying the word to roads elsewhere can sound imprecise, so it is best reserved for the German-speaking countries' highways or used figuratively to suggest unrestricted speed. It is a standard noun in both British and American English.
nounA high-speed dual-carriageway motorway in Germany and Austria, especially one on which there is no general speed limit for some vehicles.
- A high-speed motorway in Germany or Austria, often associated with sections having no mandatory speed limit.
"We drove at well over a hundred miles an hour along the autobahn outside Munich."
"Traffic on the autobahn slowed to a crawl near Frankfurt."
"The Porsche was built for speeds far beyond anything legal on the autobahn's unlimited sections."
Standard English plural; in German the plural is 'Autobahnen'.
"Germany's autobahns stretch for thousands of kilometres across the country."
Large stretches of Germany's autobahn network have no general speed limit — cars can legally travel as fast as they can safely go.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autobahn
The word autobahn is borrowed directly from German, where it is a compound of 'Auto' (short for Automobil) and 'Bahn', meaning way, track, or course. The term arose in the early twentieth century as Germany began constructing its dedicated high-speed road network in the 1920s and 1930s. English adopted the word largely unchanged, retaining its German association. Its component 'Bahn' reflects a long-standing Germanic root relating to tracks or paths.
How autobahn is actually used
Usually capitalized informally when referring specifically to the German road system ('the Autobahn'), though lowercase 'autobahn' is also standard in dictionaries. The word is strongly associated with Germany and may sound out of place applied to motorways elsewhere.
Easily confused with autobahn
An automaton is a mechanical figure or robot-like entity, whereas an autobahn is a type of high-speed highway.