In British English, automobile is not common- we generally use car.

Student or Learner
I'd like to ask native speakers how often the word "automobile" is used in the English language.
Is the word "car" used more often than "automobile"? If yes, then is there any synonym for "car" that is used as often as "car" is?
Last edited by Mr.Lucky_One; 31-Jan-2013 at 15:54.
In British English, automobile is not common- we generally use car.
The Americans generally like to shorten words. This is one exception.
not a teacher
Last edited by Tdol; 01-Feb-2013 at 11:12. Reason: an -> am
Definitely "car" for me too, in speaking and in what I hear.
I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
What I meant was the differences in the spelling of certain words. American spellings tend to be shorter.
British and American spelling - Oxford Dictionaries Online
The word automobile is American in origin, no?
Last edited by tedtmc; 01-Feb-2013 at 08:05.
Last edited by Tdol; 01-Feb-2013 at 11:11. Reason: Fixing quote code
It was adopted as an English word by the Americans.
Definition of automobile (British & World English)
In BrE, we use things like the car industry, a car manufacturer, etc. I can't think of any context where it would be the natural form.
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