What does lorry mean?
A lorry is a large motor vehicle designed to carry goods, equipment, or other heavy loads. The word is chiefly used in British English and is particularly common in references to delivery vehicles, freight transport, commercial traffic, and road haulage. In everyday British usage, a lorry is usually a road vehicle with a cab for the driver and a separate or enclosed area for carrying cargo. American speakers generally call the equivalent vehicle a truck, although lorry is also understood in the United States and in other countries influenced by British English. In compound expressions, it appears in terms such as lorry driver, delivery lorry, and goods lorry. The word is most useful for recognizing British transport vocabulary and for distinguishing regional vocabulary, though it can also refer to larger commercial vehicles more generally.
nounA large motor vehicle designed to transport heavy goods, especially in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. In American English, the usual term is “truck.”
- A large motor vehicle used for carrying goods or other heavy loads.
"The delivery lorry pulled up outside the warehouse just before noon."
"Workers unloaded the lorry while the rain fell steadily."
"The lorry driver checked the vehicle before setting off on the long journey."
The standard British English plural is “lorries,” with the final consonant sound retained and the usual -y to -ies spelling change.
"Several lorries were parked outside the distribution centre."
In British English, the word for a large goods vehicle is a lorry; the same vehicle is usually called a truck in American English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lorry come from?
The precise origin of lorry is uncertain. The word is a chiefly British English term for a goods vehicle and became established during the nineteenth century, when British road transport and commercial delivery systems were expanding. Its relationship to older forms such as lurry and lurry, which could refer to a wagon or a type of cart, has been suggested, but the exact development is not securely established.
Related word forms
How lorry is actually used
The term is standard in British English and is especially associated with road transport, delivery services, and commercial vehicles. It is also used in several European varieties of English. In American English, “truck” is much more common, while “lorry” may sound informal or foreign.