chassis
SHASS-ee
/ˈʃæsi/
The base frame of a motor vehicle.
It includes the frame but often excludes the bodywork (the 'skin' of the car).
The story behind the word. Derived from the French 'châssis,' which comes from the Latin 'capsa' (box or case). It originally referred to a window frame before being applied to cars.
Word relationships
- frame: Frame is a more general term; chassis is specifically for vehicles.
- skeleton: Skeleton is metaphorical; chassis is the literal engineering term.
- bodywork: The outer shell of the car, as opposed to the internal frame.
Commonly confused with
- body: The body is what you see; the chassis is what holds it all together.
Word family
- chassis (noun): The plural is also spelled 'chassis' but pronounced 'SHASS-eez'.
Collocations
- rolling chassis
- chassis flex
- stiff chassis
Example sentences
- "The new carbon-fiber chassis reduced the car's weight by 50 kilograms." Technical report
- "The chassis is the heart of the car's handling characteristics." Racing history
Memory hook
The 'Chassis' is the 'Case' for the engine. The car's skeleton.
When not to use
Don't use it to refer to the entire car, just the skeletal structure.
Fun facts
- The plural of chassis is spelled exactly the same way but has a different pronunciation.
Related words
Explore more words
foundation, load-bearing, Framework, transmission, truss, fuselage
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