English Reference

Word

taxi

US/ˈtæksi/

UK/tˈæksi/

Definitions

01vehicle for hire

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a car with a driver that you pay to take you from one place to another.

n. a motor vehicle licensed to transport passengers in exchange for a fare, typically determined by a taximeter.

“We were running late for the play, so we decided to take a taxi to the theatre.”

“The city's transport department recently increased the standard fare for a taxi, citing the rising costs of fuel and vehicle maintenance.”

Synonyms

cabtaxicab

02aircraft ground movement

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Technical

n. the slow movement of an airplane on the ground before it takes off or after it lands.

n. the movement of an aircraft on the surface of an airport under its own power, excluding take-off and landing runs.

“The pilot began the taxi to the runway after receiving permission from the tower.”

“During the long taxi from the remote terminal to the active runway, the captain provided a brief update regarding the expected flight time.”

Synonyms

ground movement

Antonyms

03to move an aircraft on the ground

B2 · Upper Intermediate Science Technical

v. to drive an airplane slowly on the ground.

v. to move an aircraft along the ground under its own power, typically between a parking area and a runway.

“The plane had to taxi for twenty minutes because the airport was so busy.”

“After landing safely in the heavy rain, the pilot was instructed to taxi toward gate twelve and wait for the ground crew.”

Antonyms

04to travel by cab

B1 · Intermediate

v. to go somewhere using a taxi.

v. to travel or be transported by means of a taxicab.

“They taxied across the city to reach the restaurant before it closed.”

“Rather than navigating the complex subway system with heavy luggage, the tourists chose to taxi directly to their hotel.”

Synonyms

take a cab

Real-World Examples

“Officials launched a free water taxi service Tuesday, with 40-foot (12-meter) boats carrying up to 55 people each for a scenic 20-minute ride across Biscayne Bay between Miami and Miami Beach.”
AP News 22 Jan 2026
“Self-driving Waymo taxis have gone viral for negative reasons involving the death of a beloved San Francisco bodega cat and pulling an illegal U-turn in front of police who were unable to issue a ticket to a nonexistent driver.”
AP News 10 Dec 2025
“A coalition of tech firms specializing in taxi-hailing applications is confronting a new legal challenge, accused of conspiring with Uber (UBER.N) to maintain elevated fares for passengers across the United States.”
Reuters 25 Nov 2025
“Police in Northern California were understandably perplexed when they pulled over a Waymo taxi after it made an illegal U-turn, only to find no driver behind the wheel and therefore, no one to ticket.”
AP News 30 Sept 2025

Etymology

Shortened from taximeter cab, taximeter (“automatic meter that records distance and fare”) from French taximètre, from German Taxameter (whence also English taxameter), coined from Medieval Latin taxa (“tax, charge”). More at tax, task. The aviation sense originally derived for a slang term for training aircraft used for practicing ground operations, which were said to drive around the airfield like a taxicab, and subsequently applied to all aircraft ground movements.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Aviation

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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English Reference