taxi

Overview

Meaning Now

• A motor vehicle licensed to transport passengers for a fare, typically fitted with a taximeter.

Journey

The term emerged following the invention of the taximeter, a mechanical device used in carriages and then automobiles to calculate the fare based on distance and time. It became standard in cities like Paris and London at the turn of the 20th century.

Evolution

1. Latin

   taxa

   “a tax, charge”

   From 'taxare' (to touch, assess).

2. Medieval Latin

   taxameter

   “a meter for measuring a tax or charge”

   Compound of 'taxa' and Greek 'metron'.

3. French

   taximètre

   “device to measure fare”

   Introduced in the late 19th century for horse-drawn and later motor cabs.

4. English

   taximeter-cab

   “cab equipped with a taximeter”

   First recorded usage in English.

5. English

   taxi

   “a cab for hire”

   Clipping of 'taximeter-cab'.

Connections

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