1 monocoque | Definition of monocoque

monocoque

noun
mono·​coque | \ ˈmä-nə-ˌkōk How to pronounce monocoque (audio) , -ˌkäk\

Definition of monocoque

1 : a type of construction (as of a fuselage) in which the outer skin carries all or a major part of the stresses
2 : a type of vehicle construction (as of an automobile) in which the body is integral with the chassis

Examples of monocoque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carbon fiber, aluminum and monocoque construction keep the car’s weight to about 4,000 pounds. Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "Red-carpet rockets: Is 500 hp now theadmission price to supercar club?," 30 Aug. 2019 Now, the engine was bolted directly to the car's monocoque and served as the mounting point for the rear suspension, a practice still used by every F1 car and almost every sports prototype. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "F1 2018: More than a great game, it’s an interactive history lesson," 17 Aug. 2018 Taking the monocoque of Mercedes-Benz E 63 S station wagon as a starting point, the GT 63 version applies a variety of stiffening elements and added structure to the front clip and transmission tunnel. Dan Neil, WSJ, "Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S: More Car Than Anyone Could Ever Enjoy," 5 Dec. 2018 The front section, including the cockpit survival cell and the jet engine's air intake, is a carbon fiber monocoque, similar to a top flight race car (and now the occasional road car). Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Bloodhound SSC: How do you build a car capable of 1,000mph?," 24 Nov. 2018 The deets: Assembled by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, the 4,784-pound compact crossover is built on a palpably stiff aluminum monocoque dressed in alloy body panels. Dan Neil, WSJ, "2019 Jaguar I-Pace: An Electric SUV Hot on Tesla’s Heels," 21 Sep. 2018 Amazingly, the carbon fiber monocoque of the vehicle stayed largely intact, and Thompson suffered only minor bumps and cuts. Fox News, "Shocking video surfaces of Valerie Thompson's 343 mph motorcycle crash," 23 Mar. 2018 And crossover vehicles are just that, a crossover from a car to a utility vehicle with a monocoque or unibody construction. Bob Weber, chicagotribune.com, "Most SUVs are built more like cars than pickups, except Toyota 4Runner," 28 Jan. 2018 Genesis says the packaging versatility of the lightweight carbon-fiber monocoque and electric powertrain allowed its designers to create a car with a low profile and classic GT proportions. Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, "Genesis Essentia Concept: High-Tech Coupe Dreams," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'monocoque.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of monocoque

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for monocoque

French, from mon- + coque shell, probably from Latin coccum kermes — more at cocoon

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More from Merriam-Webster on monocoque

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with monocoque

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monocoque