taxi
UK: ˈtæk.si | US: ˈtæk.si
n. a car with a driver that you pay to take you somewhere
v. (of an aircraft) to move slowly on the ground before takeoff or after landing
taxi = tax<fare, charge> + i (shortened form)
- tax<fare, charge>: From Latin taxa (a charge, fee), via Old French taxe. Originally referred to a monetary assessment.
- i: A colloquial shortening, likely influenced by the suffix "-i" in other vehicle names (e.g., trolley → trolly).
Etymology Origin:
The word taxi is short for taxicab, which itself derives from taximeter cab. The taximeter (from French taximètre, combining taxe "charge" + mètre "meter") was a device that calculated fares automatically. Over time, taxicab was clipped to taxi, reflecting the vehicle’s primary function: transporting passengers for a fare. The verb sense emerged later, describing an aircraft’s ground movement, metaphorically likened to a car’s controlled travel.
I took a taxi to the airport to catch my early flight.
The plane taxied to the runway before takeoff.
Taxis in this city are expensive but convenient.
She waved down a taxi on the busy street.
The pilot taxied the aircraft to the terminal after landing.