# car park

CEFR A1 · Compound

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/car-park
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

A place, either outside or in a building, where you can leave your car for a period of time.

For teachers: A designated area or building where motor vehicles may be left temporarily. This term is standard in British English.

## Examples

- The car park is full today.
- We couldn't find a space in the car park, so we parked on the street instead.
- The new supermarket features a large underground car park with direct access to the main shopping floor.

## Pitfalls

- Not "carpark" but "car park" — In standard British English, this is written as two separate words, though the single-word form is sometimes seen.

## Usage notes

- This term is common in British English; the American English equivalent is 'parking lot' or 'parking garage'.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'parking lot' (AmE) and highlight the compound noun stress pattern: 'CAR park', not 'car PARK'.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.