Definition

Noun: A sleeping car is a railway passenger car equipped with beds or berths, allowing passengers to sleep during long overnight journeys.

Usage

The term "sleeping car" specifically refers to the railway carriage itself. It is used to describe the type of carriage or the accommodation available on a train. * We booked a compartment in the sleeping car for the overnight trip to Chicago. * The train's sleeping car was located directly behind the dining car. * Traveling in a sleeping car is more comfortable than sitting up all night in a coach seat.

Advanced Usage

• The concept is often associated with classic long-distance rail travel. The phrase "sleeping car attendant" refers to the staff member responsible for servicing the berths and assisting passengers in that carriage.

Variants and Related Words

• Sleeper (noun): A common synonym for a sleeping car. It can also refer to a berth or bed within such a car.
• Couchette (noun): A type of sleeping accommodation on European trains, typically with simpler, fold-down bunk beds in a compartment.
• Pullman car (noun, historical): A term often associated with high-quality sleeping cars, especially those built by the Pullman Company.

Synonyms

• Sleeper
• Wagon-lit (a term used in Europe, from French)

Notes

The "sleeping car" is a distinct type of railway carriage. The focus is on the car (the vehicle) that provides sleeping facilities, not the act of sleeping.

Noun

1. a passenger car that has berths for sleeping