# Pontiac

/ˈpɑniˌæk/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pontiac
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a brand of American car that was made by General Motors for many years. People often remember these cars for being sporty or powerful before the brand stopped in 2010.

For teachers: a former American automobile marque owned by General Motors, historically positioned as the performance-oriented division. When used in a general sense, it refers to any vehicle produced under this brand name.

## Examples

- He spent the summer restoring an old Pontiac.
- The classic car show featured several vintage Pontiac models from the 1960s in pristine condition.
- While the brand was eventually discontinued during the corporate restructuring of 2010, the Pontiac remains a significant icon of the American muscle car era among automotive historians and collectors.

## Usage notes

- Usually capitalised as it is a proper noun; when referring to the vehicle itself, it follows standard countable noun patterns.

---

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.