In the days of horse-drawn vehicles, one type of carriage was called a cabriolet, from a French word meaning leap. This name was fitting since the carriage was so light it bounced or leaped about on the rough roads of the time. In time the name cabriolet was shortened to cab.

The word "cab" is actually a shortened form of the word cabriolet, a French term that originally referred to a light, two-wheeled, horse-drawn carriage with a folding hood. The name comes from the French verb cabrioler, meaning "to caper" or "to leap," referring to the vehicle's light and bouncy motion. In the early 19th century, these "cabriolets" became popular for hire in London and Paris, and the name eventually evolved into "taxicab." The "taxi" portion of the name is derived from the taximeter, the mechanical (and now digital) instrument invented by Wilhelm Bruhn in 1891 that calculates the fare based on distance and time. Therefore, the full, formal name of the vehicle we use today is a taxicab. While we often use "taxi" or "cab" interchangeably in 2026, the etymology reminds us of the transition from horse-drawn Capriolets to the modern, GPS-equipped vehicles we hail via apps. In some parts of the world, you might still hear formal references to "Hackney Carriages," which is the specific legal term for the iconic London Black Cab, distinguishing them from private hire vehicles.