noun
Common
berlin
buh-LIHN
Berlin (noun) means a four-wheeled covered carriage with a separate seat at the rear, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Example: “The nobleman arrived at the palace in an ornate berlin drawn by four horses.”
noun
1
A four-wheeled covered carriage with a separate seat at the rear, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.
"The nobleman arrived at the palace in an ornate berlin drawn by four horses."
"In the museum, a restored berlin stood beside an old sedan chair."
"The traveller dozed on the rear seat of the berlin as it rattled along the road."
How to use berlin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned style of horse-drawn carriage, named after the city — not to be confused with the city itself.
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Word forms
- Plural
- berlins
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The nobleman arrived at the palace in an ornate _____ drawn by four horses.
Etymology
Named after the German capital city Berlin, where the carriage design was invented in the 1600s.
Class of 1600
berlin joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Synonyms
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Rhymes for berlin
See all rhymes for berlin →Frequently asked questions
What does “berlin” mean?
The word “berlin” means a four-wheeled covered carriage with a separate seat at the rear, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. In plain terms, an old-fashioned style of horse-drawn carriage, named after the city — not to be confused with the city itself.
How do you pronounce “berlin”?
“Berlin” is pronounced buh-LIHN ([bɚˈlɪn] in IPA).
How do you use “berlin” in a sentence?
Here is “berlin” used in a sentence: “The nobleman arrived at the palace in an ornate berlin drawn by four horses.”
What part of speech is “berlin”?
“Berlin” is a noun.
Where does the word “berlin” come from?
The word “berlin” dates back to around 1600 and comes from German. Named after the German capital city Berlin, where the carriage design was invented in the 1600s.
Is “berlin” a common word?
“Berlin” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is the carriage called a berlin related to the city of Berlin?
Yes. The berlin, a four-wheeled covered carriage with a separate seat at the rear, takes its name from the city of Berlin, where the design became fashionable. The carriage was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, and when referring to the vehicle the word is usually written with a lowercase b.
What is the difference between a berlin and a coach?
A coach is any large, closed four-wheeled carriage, while a berlin is a specific type distinguished by its covered body and a separate seat at the rear. The berlin was popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, when it was a fashionable alternative to earlier travelling coaches.
Should berlin be capitalized when it refers to the carriage?
When it names the historical carriage, berlin is a common noun and is normally written in lowercase, like other vehicle types. Capital-B Berlin refers to the German city. Context makes the distinction clear: "They rode in a berlin through the streets of Berlin."
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