Wagon - Definition and Overview

A wagon (in old British English waggon) is a wheeled vehicle, ordinarily with four wheels, usually pulled by an animal such as a horse, mule or ox, which was used for transport of heavy goods in the past.

A wagon is also a large wheeled container that is used for transporting goods – as opposed to passengers – on a railway, thus pulled by a locomotive. The American English term for this is also a freight car; an alternative in British English is a truck, though this can also be used for transport of animals.

In modern usage, a wagon can refer to a type of automobile also known as the station wagon. See also: coach, carriage, estate car, station wagon.

Example Usage of Wagon