caboose
Caboose (noun) means the last car on a freight train, once used as sleeping and cooking quarters for the crew. Example: “Kids waved as the red caboose rattled past.”
How to Use Caboose
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe trailing car of a freight train; informally, a last-born child or, slangily, the backside.
Word Forms
cabooses plural, cabeese plural, caboosen plural
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Kids waved as the red _____ rattled past.
Etymology
From Dutch kabuis/kombuis ("ship's galley"), which also gave German Low German Kabüüs — the train sense grew from the idea of a small onboard kitchen.
Rhymes for caboose
See all rhymes for caboose →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “caboose” mean?
The word “caboose” means the last car on a freight train, once used as sleeping and cooking quarters for the crew. In plain terms, the trailing car of a freight train; informally, a last-born child or, slangily, the backside.
How do you pronounce “caboose”?
“Caboose” is pronounced kuh-BOOS (/kəˈbuːs/ in IPA).
How do you use “caboose” in a sentence?
Here is “caboose” used in a sentence: “Kids waved as the red caboose rattled past.”
What part of speech is “caboose”?
“Caboose” is a noun.
Where does the word “caboose” come from?
The word “caboose” comes from German. From Dutch kabuis/kombuis ("ship's galley"), which also gave German Low German Kabüüs — the train sense grew from the idea of a small onboard kitchen.
How many meanings does “caboose” have?
“Caboose” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the last car on a freight train, once used as sleeping and cooking quarters for the crew.
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