sport utility vehicle

noun

variants or sport-utility vehicle

ˈspȯrt-yü-ˈti-lə-tē- 

or less commonly sport utility or sport-utility

plural sport utility vehicles or sport-utility vehicles also sport utilities or sport-utilities

: a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis : suv

called also sport-ute

Examples of sport utility vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It was not immediately known what caused the collision between the sport utility vehicle and the large-wheel front loader on South Watt just south of Jackson Road. —Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025

Dunlap scribbled on the pad, pulled out his keys and headed towards to a sport utility vehicle that was parked just outside of the office’s front door. —Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025

Despite launching the super SUV category, the team at Lamborghini understands that its sport utility vehicles are not going to be used for standard off-roading activities. —Sean Evans, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2025

The growing popularity of Chinese sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks has shaken up Mexico’s luxury car market, hitting sales of traditionally dominant brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. —Afp, Fortune Asia, 27 Dec. 2024

The first models to get the ultra-fast charging will be the Han L and the Tang L sport utility vehicle. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2025

Its latest offering is Defender OCTA, the boldest, most powerful and most expensive version of its four-door sport utility vehicle (SUV). —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025

In the United States, the two companies have similar product lines focused on small and medium-size cars and sport utility vehicles like Nissan’s Sentra, Altima and Rogue and Honda’s Civic, Accord and CRV. —Neal E. Boudette, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Overlanding and off-roading are no longer hobbies of extreme thrill seekers with more Americans traversing local trails and taking their pricey sport utility vehicles and trucks with them. —Morgan Korn, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sport-utility vehicle

noun

sport-util·​i·​ty vehicle

ˈspȯrt-yü-ˈtil-ət-ē-

: a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light truck chassis