landau

IPA/ˈlændɔː/
KK[lˈændˌaʊ]IPA/ˈlændɔː/

landau — noun

1. a four-wheeled carriage pulled by horses, with front and back roof panels that f

1.nounC2
Definition

a four-wheeled carriage pulled by horses, with front and back roof panels that fold down separately

Example

The hotel offered guests a landau ride around the old square.

collocation: landau ride

At the museum, children climbed into a restored landau with red seats.

Common collocations
  • ride in a landau
  • arrive in a landau
  • restored landau
  • landau roof
Synonyms
  • carriage

    the broad general term for a horse-drawn passenger vehicle

  • coach

    often larger, more enclosed, and more formal than a landau

  • buggy

    usually lighter and simpler, often without the divided folding roof

Usage Note

Usually seen in historical writing, museum labels, or descriptions of formal rides and ceremonies. Distinguish it from a buggy, which is lighter and usually does not have the same two-part folding roof.

Common Mistakes

The farmer loaded hay onto the landau.
The farmer loaded hay onto the wagon.
A landau is a passenger carriage, not a vehicle for carrying farm loads.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Landau is a specific kind of horse-drawn carriage with four wheels and a roof divided into two folding sections. Carriage is the broad general word and can describe many passenger vehicles pulled by horses. Coach usually suggests a larger, more formal carriage, often enclosed and used for longer travel or ceremonies. Buggy often refers to a lighter, simpler vehicle, sometimes open and built for everyday local travel rather than display. Use landau when the folding two-part roof matters or when describing a historical scene accurately. For example, a wedding party might arrive in a landau, but farm visitors would more likely ride in a buggy, and a royal procession might use a coach.

carriage ↗coach ↗buggy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • landau ride
  • landau roof

Phrases

  • horse-drawn landau

Prepositions

  • in a landau
  • by landau

Etymology

GermanEnglish

From German Landauer, meaning a carriage associated with the town of Landau in southwestern Germany. English kept the place-based name for this particular style of horse-drawn carriage.

First known use

1743

1743, in the meaning defined above