bentley

IPA/ˈbentli/
KK[bˈɛntli]IPA/ˈbentli/

bentley — noun

1. a very expensive and powerful car made by a British company that was later bough

1.nounB1
Definition

a very expensive and powerful car made by a British company that was later bought by a German car company in 1998

Example

Ravindra parked his Bentley outside the hotel, and the doorman rushed to open the door.

possessive: his Bentley

The company chairman arrived at the ceremony in a long, black Bentley.

collocation: in a [adjective] Bentley

Common collocations
  • drive a Bentley
  • own a Bentley
  • a fleet of Bentleys
  • a silver / black Bentley
  • Bentley owner
Synonyms
  • luxury car

    a general term for any high-end automobile; Bentley is one specific brand within this category

  • high-end automobile

    more formal and general; not limited to the Bentley brand

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and luxury sedan all refer to high-end automobiles, but they differ in brand identity and connotation. Bentley and Rolls-Royce are both historic British luxury car brands now owned by German companies. Bentley is known for blending performance with craftsmanship — its cars are powerful and sporty yet elegantly appointed. Rolls-Royce, by contrast, emphasises supreme comfort and a whisper-quiet ride, often associated with chauffeur-driven formality. Luxury sedan is a much broader category covering any expensive, comfortable four-door car from any manufacturer (Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, etc.). If someone says 'He arrived in a Bentley,' the image is of a powerful, handcrafted car driven by its owner; 'He arrived in a Rolls-Royce' suggests back-seat luxury; 'He arrived in a luxury sedan' is a more generic description that could apply to various brands.

Bentley ↗Rolls-Royceluxury sedan

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Bentley is an English surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, from place names meaning 'bent-grass meadow' (Old English beonet 'bent grass' + leah 'clearing, meadow'). The car company was founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley (1888–1971), a British engineer and racing driver. The brand name came to represent the high-performance luxury automobiles his company produced.