omnibus

1 of 2

noun

om·​ni·​bus ˈäm-ni-(ˌ)bəs 

1

: a usually automotive public vehicle designed to carry a large number of passengers : bus

took a seat on the omnibus

2

: a book containing reprints of a number of works (as of a single author or on a single subject)

The omnibus contained all of the author's short stories.

omnibus

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or providing for many things at once

2

: containing or including many items

an omnibus bill

Did you know?

The adjective omnibus may not have much to do with public transportation, but the noun omnibus certainly does—it not only means "bus," but it's also the word English speakers shortened to form bus. The noun omnibus originated in the 1820s as a French word for long, horse-drawn vehicles that transported people along the main thoroughfares of Paris. Shortly thereafter, omnibuses—and the noun omnibus—arrived in New York. But in Latin, omnibus simply means "for all." Our adjective omnibus, which arrived in the mid-1800s, seems to hark back to that Latin omnibus, though it may also have been at least partially influenced by the English noun. An "omnibus bill" containing numerous provisions, for example, could be likened to a bus loaded with people.

Synonyms

Adjective

• all-embracing
• all-in [chiefly British]
• all-inclusive
• broad-gauge
• broad-gauged
• compendious
• complete
• comprehensive
• cover-all
• cyclopedic
• embracive
• encyclopedic
• exhaustive
• full
• global
• in-depth
• inclusive
• panoramic
• thorough
• universal

Examples of omnibus in a Sentence

Adjective

an omnibus edition of his more popular stories

the president's state of the union speech is usually an omnibus look at the issues that the country is confronting

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Under Biden’s Title IX omnibus rule, every educational program would have to do the same. —The Editors, National Review, 25 Apr. 2024

Grouping spending bills into a couple of packages that allow members to support certain funding measures and oppose others, even within an omnibus, isn’t new to the congressional playbook. —Tia Yang, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

French, from Latin, for all, dative plural of omnis

First Known Use

Noun

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing omnibus

• the man on the Clapham omnibus

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Kids Definition

omnibus

1 of 2 noun

om·​ni·​bus ˈäm-ni-(ˌ)bəs 

: bus

omnibus

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or providing for many things at once

2

: containing or including many items

an omnibus legislative bill