shuttle

1 of 2

noun

shut·​tle ˈshə-tᵊl How to pronounce shuttle (audio)
1
a
: a device used in weaving for passing the thread of the weft between the threads of the warp
b
: a spindle-shaped device holding the thread in tatting, knotting, or netting
c
: a sliding thread holder for the lower thread of a sewing machine that carries the lower thread through a loop of the upper thread to make a stitch
2
3
a
: a going back and forth regularly over an often short route by a vehicle
b(1)
: an established route used in a shuttle
(2)
: a vehicle used in a shuttle
a shuttle bus
shuttleless adjective

shuttle

2 of 2

verb

shuttled; shuttling ˈshə-tᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce shuttle (audio)
ˈshət-liŋ

transitive verb

1
: to cause to move or travel back and forth frequently
2
: to transport in, by, or as if by a shuttle
shuttled them to school

intransitive verb

1
: to move or travel back and forth frequently
2
: to move by or as if by a shuttle

Examples of shuttle in a Sentence

Noun A shuttle takes people from the parking lot to the airport. Verb We shuttled between the city and the country all summer. A bus shuttled people from the parking lot to the dock.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Both Vancouver and Whistler offer excellent pedestrian experiences with comprehensive public transportation options, and The Fairmont Chateau Whistler provides complimentary shuttle service throughout Whistler Village, making a personal vehicle unnecessary. Shelby Knick, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 West Sacramento city officials have encouraged fans to use an on-demand shuttle service called Via. Michael McGough and, Sacramento Bee, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
Feeling is everything in Ramirez’s book, in Ali’s staging and for the astonishing ensemble cast, as the story shuttles between an Old Havana recording studio in the ’90s and the city a week before the 1959 revolutionary takeover. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 20 Mar. 2025 That tour required the blessing of ICC security consultants, who were shuttled around in armored vehicles with police escorts to assess Pakistan's preparedness to host the event. Betsy Joles, NPR, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shuttle

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English shittle, shutle, from Old English scutel, scytel dart; akin to Old Norse skutill bolt, Old English scēotan to shoot — more at shoot

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1550, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shuttle was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Shuttle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shuttle. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

shuttle

1 of 2 noun
shut·​tle ˈshət-ᵊl How to pronounce shuttle (audio)
1
: an instrument used in weaving to carry the thread back and forth from side to side through the threads that run lengthwise
2
a
: a vehicle that goes back and forth regularly over an often short route
the airport shuttle
space shuttle
b
: an established route used by a shuttle

shuttle

2 of 2 verb
shuttled; shuttling ˈshət-liŋ How to pronounce shuttle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to move or travel back and forth often
2
: to transport in, by, or as if by a shuttle
shuttled the children to school

More from Merriam-Webster on shuttle

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