phaeton

See also: Phaeton, phaéton, Phaëton, and Phæton

English

Alternative forms

• phæton

Etymology

Borrowed from French phaéton.

Pronunciation

• (non-merged vowel) IPA^(key): /ˈfeɪ.ɪtən/
• (merged vowel) IPA^(key): /ˈfeɪ.ətən/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfeɪtən/
• Rhymes: (Received Pronunciation) -eɪtən

Noun

phaeton (plural phaetons)

2. (vehicles) a light four-wheeled open carriage drawn by four horses
   • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXI, in Romance and Reality. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 260:

     It had been settled that Lorraine was to drive Emily in his phaeton. It is true the sun was full in her eyes, the wind high, and the dust, which is just mud in high spirits, flew round them in clouds; but Emily found her ride delightful.

   • 2004, Andrew Sean Greer, The Confessions of Max Tivoli, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, page 43:

     ...I saw the girls of Nob Hill on their way to school, kicking pebbles at each other and laughing; I saw young ladies coming home past curfew in their beaus' phaetons...

4. (automotive) a large open touring motorcar with a folding top

Derived terms

• phaetoneer
• spider phaeton

Anagrams

• phonate