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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