carriage

noun

car·​riage ˈker-ij 

ˈka-rij

plural carriages

1

a

: a wheeled vehicle

especially : a horse-drawn vehicle designed for private use and comfort

b

British : a railway passenger coach

2

: a wheeled support carrying a burden

3

a

: manner of bearing the body : posture

that slender unrigid erectness and the fine carriage of head

—Willa Cather

b

archaic : deportment

4

: the act of carrying

5

: a movable part of a machine for supporting some other movable object or part

a typewriter carriage

6

chiefly British : the price or expense of carrying

7

medical : the condition of harboring a pathogen within the body

Clinical manifestations of enterovirus infections are protean, ranging from asymptomatic carriage to life-threatening illness.

—Journal of the American Medical Association

Hospitals commonly screen patients in the ICU for nasal carriage of MRSA and use contact precautions with carriers.

—Susan S. Huang et al.

8

archaic : management

9

obsolete : burden, load

10

obsolete : import, sense

11

obsolete : a hanger for a sword

Synonyms

• equipage
• rig

Choose the Right Synonym for carriage

bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude.

bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture.

a woman of regal bearing

deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training.

your deportment was atrocious

demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior.

the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter

mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor.

a mien of supreme self-satisfaction

manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others.

the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders

carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking.

the kind of carriage learned at boarding school

Examples of carriage in a Sentence

They rode to the city in carriages.

I took the baby to the park in the carriage.

Recent Examples on the Web

The choice was inspired by Pullman train carriage, a symbol of elegance enjoyed by the higher classes. —R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

Camilla was scheduled to welcome the emir alongside King Charles III at the Horse Guards Parade, followed by a carriage procession. —Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024

Kate then took part in the carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, riding in the Australian State Coach with William behind the King, the Amir and his wife in the Irish State Coach. —Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024

Following the military pomp, the group traveled back to the palace in a carriage procession to have lunch at the royal residence. —Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cariage, carrage "act of transporting, conveyances collectively, vehicle, burden, baggage," borrowed from Anglo-French "transporting, means of transport, baggage train," from carier, charier "to transport, carry entry 1" + -age -age

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing carriage

• baby carriage
• carriage trade
• horseless carriage

Kids Definition

carriage

noun

car·​riage ˈkar-ij 

1

: the act of carrying

2

: manner of holding the body : posture

3

: a horse-drawn wheeled vehicle designed for carrying persons

4

: a wheeled support carrying a load

gun carriage

5

: a movable part of a machine for supporting some other movable object or part

a typewriter carriage

Medical Definition

carriage

noun

car·​riage ˈkar-ij 

: the condition of harboring a pathogen within the body

immunization against hepatitis B reduced the rate of HBV carriage

asymptomatic carriage of the pneumococcus in the nasopharynx