What two words combine to form the word taxicab?

The two words that combine to form “taxicab” are “taximeter” and “cabriolet.” The compound is a shortened form of those two terms, not a combination of “taxi” and “cable” or “tax” and “cabin.”

A taximeter is the device that calculates a hired vehicle’s fare from distance, time, or both. The word “meter” ultimately comes from Greek metrōn, meaning “measure,” while “taxe” relates to a charge or rate. A cabriolet was a light, two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage.

The word “cab” itself is a shortening of “cabriolet.” As motor vehicles replaced horse-drawn cabs, the fare-measuring instrument became the defining feature of the new service, helping produce the modern term “taxicab.” “Taxi” is simply the familiar shorter form.

A common mix-up is to treat “taxi” as the original first half of “taxicab.” Historically, however, “taxi” was derived from “taximeter,” while “cab” came from “cabriolet.” The combined word therefore preserves both the fare-measuring technology and the older carriage tradition.