Motorcoaches

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of large vehicle designed for transporting passengers comfortably over long distances, typically featuring comfortable seating and facilities
2. Referring to a bus equipped for long-distance travel that often includes amenities like restrooms and climate control
3. Describing a specialized bus used for tour groups or charter services, providing additional comfort and features compared to standard buses

Etymology: "Motorcoaches" is the plural of "motorcoach," a compound of "motor" and "coach." The first part comes from Latin "motor," meaning "mover," from "movere," "to move," and entered English to describe a self-propelled engine. The second part, "coach," is a much older word for a horse-drawn carriage, borrowed into English in the 16th century from the Hungarian town of Kocs, where such vehicles were reportedly first built. Putting the two together produced a vehicle that kept the passenger-carrying role of the old coach while replacing the horses with an engine. The plural form simply applies this to more than one such vehicle, so the word's history is essentially the story of a horse-drawn carriage gaining an engine.

Synonyms: buses, coaches