# van

> English word · Noun · IPA /væn/ · frequency rank #1,742

## Definitions
1. A covered motor vehicle used to carry goods or (normally less than ten) persons, usually roughly cuboid in shape, Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and longer and higher than a car but relatively smaller than a truck/lorry or a bus.
2. An enclosed railway vehicle for transport of goods, such as a boxcar/box van.
3. A light wagon, either covered or open, used by tradesmen and others for the transportation of goods.
4. A large towable vehicle equipped for the repair of structures that cannot easily be moved.

## Etymology
Short for caravan.

## Easily confused with
- **vi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vi)
- **VR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vr)
- **VP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vp)
- **VC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vc)
- **VW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vw)
- **Vu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vu)
- **VM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vm)
- **vo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vo)
- **VF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vf)
- **VN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vn)
- **VX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vx)
- **VD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vd)
- **VH** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vh)
- **via** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-via)
- **vol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vol)
- **vet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vet)
- **Vic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vic)
- **VIP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vip)
- **VAR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-var)
- **vow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/van-vs-vow)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/van