groundcar n.

a car incapable of flight (in contrast with an aircar n.)

Vehicles

  • 1930 J. W. Campbell The Voice of the Void in Amazing Stories Quarterly Summer 400/1 page image John W. Campbell, Jr. bibliography

    Now the four habitable planets were at once settled upon. Already they had been carefully mapped, and the Supreme Council had drawn up a plan for the use of the vast planets. More area there was than they needed now, by far, so the cities were scattered widely over the globes. Mere planetary distances meant nothing to them. And all the areas between were carefully preserved as vast, natural parks. Through them wound roads for the little ground cars, so that the people might better see the beauties of the place. And some of the harmless animals would be permitted to live that the future population might know them.

  • 1937 E. E. Smith in Astounding Stories Nov. 136/1 Edward E. Smith

    I will return in three hours, as well before sunset the wind makes it impossible to get even a ground car into the port.

  • 1951 I. Asimov Foundation Trilogy–Foundation iii.i. 80 Isaac Asimov

    They've come…in a last-model ground car, the young pups.

  • 1958 H. L. Gold Third Galaxy Reader 14

    Planes, submarines, ground cars, air conditioning date back—in ideas laid out in detail drawings—to Leonardo da Vinci.

  • 1970 F. Herbert in Worlds of If Science Fiction Jan. 16/1 Frank Herbert

    ‘Why didn’t you bring us by aircar?’ ‘People here on Cordiality are used to seeing me in a groundcar unless I'm on official business and require speed.’

  • 1970 A. McCaffrey Ship who Sang (1991) iii. 54 Anne McCaffrey

    A ground car zipped out from the direction of the massive Control and Barracks complex.

  • 1982 I. Asimov Foundation's Edge (1991) 221 Isaac Asimov

    There were other ground-cars moving in both directions and an occasional air-car above, but Pelorat was studying the trees.

  • 1984 R. Silverberg Waiting for Earthquake in R. Silverberg Conglomeroid Cocktail Party (1984) 207 Robert Silverberg

    A few groundcars were parked at the airstrip.

  • 1986 L. M. Bujold Shards of Honour (1988) 223 Lois McMaster Bujold

    With the doctor on one side and her mother on the other, she dwelt in Vorkosigan’s kiss all during the long walk to her mother’s ground car.

  • 1990 A. McCaffrey & E. Moon Sassinak (1991) 149 Anne McCaffrey Elizabeth Moon bibliography

    Trailing a ship through FTL space was, Sassinak thought, like following a groundcar through thick forest at night without using headlights.

  • 1990 A. McCaffrey & E. Moon Sassinak 141 Anne McCaffrey Elizabeth Moon bibliography

    Lieutenant Commander Huron, I'm sure you wouldn’t listen to idle gossip…any more than I would listen to gossip about you and your passion for groundcar racing.

  • 1991 L. M. Bujold Barrayer 284 Lois McMaster Bujold

    Not north toward their goal, but due south first, by groundcar into the next loyal District.

  • 2004 L. Evans & J. Ringo Road to Damascus ii. 19 page image Linda Evans John Ringo bibliography

    As he watched people jumping out of groundcars to greet them, newly arrived from their orbital transport, he couldn’t help wondering how many of them would hate him by the end of his mission.


Research requirements

antedating 1930

Earliest cite

J. W. Campbell

Research History
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from Isaac Asimov's "Evidence", which Mike Christie verified in the original 1946 magazine appearance.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a reprint of Isaac Asimov's "Foundation and Empire"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the original 1945 magazine appearance.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from E. E. Smith's "Gray Lensman" which Mike Christie verified in the original 1940 magazine appearance.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1981 reprint of Larry Niven's "Ringworld"; Treesong verified the cite in the 1970 first edition.
Dan Tilque submitted a 1991 cite from Lois McMaster Bujold's "Barrayar".
Dan Tilque submitted a cite from a reprint of E.E. Smith's "Galactic Patrol"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1937 first magazine appearance.
Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 1988 reprint of Lois McMaster Bujold's "Shards of Honour".
Enoch Forrester submitted a 1958 cite from Horace Gold.
Mike Christie submitted a 1970 cite from Frank Herbert's "Whipping Star".
Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon's 1990 "Sassinak""; Michael Dolbear subsequently verified the cite in the 1990 first edition.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1930 cite from J. W. Campbell.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2004 cite from Linda Evans and John Ringo.

Last modified 2021-02-11 22:17:51
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.