truck

The word “truck” means a large motor vehicle used for carrying goods. In plain terms, a large road vehicle for hauling cargo, or to move goods by such a vehicle.

“Truck” is pronounced truhk (/tɹʌk/ in IPA).

Here is “truck” used in a sentence: “The delivery truck pulled up outside the warehouse.”

Depending on how it is used, “truck” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “truck” comes from Greek. The origin is debated, but it likely comes from "truckle," itself linked to a Greek word for a wheel — early "trucks" were small wheels or rollers before the word came to mean the vehicle.

“Truck” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Truck” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large motor vehicle used for carrying goods.

They are the same thing in different varieties of English. 'Truck' is the standard American word for a large goods vehicle, while 'lorry' is the traditional British term. British English uses 'truck' too, especially for specific types, but a big road-going goods vehicle is a lorry in the UK and a truck in the US.

There are many kinds, each built for a job. Pickup trucks carry small loads, while articulated trucks, or semis, haul goods long distance. Dump trucks move earth and rubble, tanker trucks carry liquids, and flatbeds carry oversized loads. Others include tow trucks, refrigerated trucks and fire trucks, all sharing the same basic goods-carrying purpose.

Size and build set them apart. A van is a smaller, fully enclosed vehicle, often with a car-like cab and cargo space joined in one body. A truck is larger and heavier, usually with a separate cab and load area, and carries much bigger loads. Vans handle deliveries; trucks handle serious haulage.