autobahn

noun

au·​to·​bahn ˈȯ-tō-ˌbän  ˈau̇- 

: a German, Swiss, or Austrian expressway

Examples of autobahn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The top speed of 218 mph went untested, but if the speedometer on one example taped on the autobahn is to believed, the LaFerrari can actually punch its way all the way to 231 mph. —Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024

Nearly every weekday morning, a device leaves a two-story home near Wiesbaden, Germany, and makes a 15-minute commute along a major autobahn. —Dhruv Mehrotra, WIRED, 19 Nov. 2024

Slightly wider tires probably serve as the main cue, as do the double headlights and an additional set of high beams—the latter presumably installed for improved visibility while crushing miles on the autobahn. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

The story goes that McQueen had been driving his Porsche 911S on the German autobahn, running at around 130 miles an hour, when a 300 SEL 6.3 blew past with ease. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Autobahn, from Auto auto entry 1 + Bahn "path, way, lane," going back to Middle High German ban, bane "cleared path, track," akin to Middle Low German & Middle Dutch bāne in same sense, of uncertain origin

Note: The Germanic etymon represented by Bahn is perhaps akin to Old High German bano "killer, murderer," Old English bana, etc. (see bane entry 1), if both descend from a verb meaning "strike, beat down." See Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Band 1, pp. 460-61.

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above