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berline

saloon car, sedan

noun behr-LEEN Rare

Origin: Named after the city of Berlin, where the carriage style originated in the 17th century

Also means

Berlin carriage (historical)

Usage Note

Berline in modern French refers to a four-door enclosed car — what British English calls a 'saloon' and American English a 'sedan'. Its historical sense was a horse-drawn closed carriage developed in Berlin. Car classification in France distinguishes berline from break (estate/station wagon) and coupé.

Examples

"Il a acheté une berline allemande de luxe."

Natural Translation

He bought a luxury German saloon car.

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