car park
car park
Pronunciation
car park
/ˈkɑːr pɑːrk/
car:
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/ɑː/ - open back unrounded vowel (long)
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
park:
/p/ - voiceless bilabial stop
/ɑː/ - open back unrounded vowel (long)
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
Word Form Variations
Singular: car park
Plural: car parks
Compound adjective (less common, but possible): car-park (e.g., "a car-park attendant")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Car park
An area, typically paved and often specially designated, where motor vehicles can be left temporarily, usually for a fee or for the convenience of accessing nearby establishments.
Synonyms: parking lot (primarily US), parking garage (if multi-story), parking area, lot, deck (if multi-story)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "no parking zone" or "restricted area" are oppositional in meaning but not lexical antonyms for the place itself.)
Verb
Car park (Less common as a verb, but can be used informally to mean "to park a car in a car park.")
(Informal) To maneuver and leave a motor vehicle in a designated car park.
Synonyms: park, pull in, pull up
Antonyms: unpark, drive out, depart
Examples of Use
Books:
"He drove slowly through the almost deserted car park, searching for a space near the main entrance." (from a contemporary novel)
"The detective found the discarded evidence in the multi-storey car park late that night." (from a crime fiction novel)
Newspapers:
"New security measures have been implemented at the city centre car park following a spate of thefts." (The Standard)
"Councillors approved plans for a new underground car park to ease congestion in the historic district." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"The shopping mall's rooftop car park offers stunning views of the city skyline." (Kenya Buzz)
"Electric vehicle charging points are to be installed in all major car parks across the county." (BBC News online)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
(Film Dialogue): "Meet me in the car park in ten minutes. Don't be late." (from a British spy thriller)
(Video Game Description): "Navigate the labyrinthine multi-level car park to reach your objective, avoiding patrolling guards." (from a stealth-action video game)
(TV Show Script): "She swore she saw him in the supermarket car park last Tuesday, but he denied it." (from a BBC drama series)
General Public Discourse:
"Excuse me, do you know if there's a free car park near the museum?" (Heard in a public conversation in London)
"I always forget where I've left my car in that massive car park at the airport." (Common complaint among travelers)
10 Quotes Using Car Park
"Crime in multi-storey car parks. That is wrong on so many different levels." (Tim Vine)
"I'd been to Stourhead and was inspired by the perfect parity between architecture and art; in fact, the architecture is the art. I wrote a piece called 'Not Sculpture Park,' because most of these things become car parks for bought-in sculpture." (Charles Jencks)
"The newly decorated theatres produced things like car parks and restaurants, so you could have a good night out, quite cheaply without all that bother of having to go somewhere else." (Timothy West)
"I remember the first time I drove mum's car. We just went to a car park near my house, and it actually wasn't too bad." (Melissa Breen, The Sydney Morning Herald, February 2014)
"A bomb under the West car park at Twickenham on an international day would end fascism in England for a generation." (Philip Toynbee)
"If I was going to sell drugs in Aldi car park, then I would, yes." (Reece Shearsmith, Inside No. 9)
"I was sleeping on the back seat of my car in a car park in Hawaii and the police woke me up in the middle of the night and ticketed me!" (from a Goodreads quote about travel)
"I look at the car park and myself and Dave Watson come in with our old cars, and these young lads come in with their new Porches." (Richard Gough)
"Every single time we pull into the supermarket car park." (Reddit comment on movie quotes)
"The animators are fantastic though. They'll shoot their own reference material, and just go into the car park or something." (Chris Sanders, Den of Geek)
Etymology
The word "car park" is quite straightforward in its origin. It's a compound noun, meaning it's made up of two simpler words joined together: "car" and "park."
Car: This part of the word refers to an automobile, a motor vehicle with wheels, used for transporting people. The word "car" itself comes from the Latin word "carrus" (a two-wheeled wagon or cart), which later evolved through Old North French and Middle English.
Park: This part of the word, in this context, means to place or leave a vehicle in a specific location for a period of time. The verb "to park" (a vehicle) comes from an older meaning of "park" as an enclosed piece of ground, often for keeping animals or for recreation. Over time, this evolved to include designated areas for specific purposes, including parking vehicles.
When you put them together, "car park" literally means a "place where cars are parked."
The first known use of "car park" dates back to the early 20th century, specifically around 1910-1915. As automobiles became more common and accessible, there was a growing need for designated spaces where they could be left when not in use, particularly in urban areas. Before this, people might have just left their vehicles on the side of the road or in an open field. The rise of the automobile necessitated a new term for these specialized parking areas, leading to the creation and widespread adoption of "car park." Its meaning from its first use has remained consistent: a designated area for parking vehicles.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Car Park
"Stuck in the car park." (Literal: physically unable to move out of the car park due to traffic or an obstruction.)
"Lost in the car park." (Literal: unable to find one's car or the exit in a large car park.)
"Car park attendant." (A common job title for someone who manages a car park.)
"Car park fees." (The cost associated with parking in a car park.)
"Car park capacity." (Referring to the maximum number of vehicles a car park can hold.)
"It's a free car park." (Literal: referring to a car park where no payment is required.)
"The car park crush." (Refers to the chaotic and crowded situation in a car park, often during peak times.)
"Car park politics." (Original phrase: Refers to minor squabbles or unwritten rules about parking spaces or behaviour within a shared parking area.)
"A multi-storey car park of ideas." (Original phrase, using "car park" metaphorically for a large, complex, and potentially overwhelming collection of ideas or options.)
"Playing car park dodgeball." (Original playful phrase: Refers to the act of carefully maneuvering a car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, or other cars in a crowded car park.)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of car park from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
