What is the origin of the English word limousine, today referring to the vehicle in the picture?

The word limousine in English is derived from the French name for the region called ‘Limousin’, a former administrative region in southwest-central France. The French name itself, derives from a Celtic tribe, the ‘Lemovices’, who had their capital at ‘Saint-Denis-des-Murs’ (English, Sant Dennis or Denis of the Walls).

Before vehicles, the word describes a particular type of carriage hood or roof physically resembling the raised hood worn by the shepherds. An alternate etymology has the chauffeur wearing a Limousin-style cloak in the open driver’s compartment, for protection from the weather. Rich owners of expensive carriages and their passengers were accustomed to their own private compartment leaving their coachmen or driver outside in all type of weather.

The name was then extended to a particular type of car with a permanent top projecting over the chauffeur. This former type of automobile had an enclosed passenger compartment seating 3 to five persons, with only a roof projecting forward over the open driver’s areas in the front.

As such, the 1916 definition of a limousine by the U.S. Society of Automobile Engineeers is “a closed car seating three to five inside, with driver’s seat outside. Today however, the entire vehicle is enclsoed as shown in the picture.

The limousine body style usually has a partition separating the driver from the rear passenger compartment. Many nations have official state cars designed to transport government officials.