noun General Slang

Tin Lizzie

/ˌtɪn ˈlɪz.i/ · noun · slang

America's affectionate nickname for the Ford Model T, the car that put the nation on wheels.

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Definitions

1

Used fondly or mockingly for a reliable but unglamorous machine.

“She's no roadster, just a faithful old Tin Lizzie.”
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2

By extension, any old, rattly, no-frills car.

“That dented Tin Lizzie has been in the family for thirty years.”
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3

A Ford Model T automobile, the cheap, ubiquitous car of the 1910s and 1920s.

“Dad cranked the Tin Lizzie to life and off we rattled.”
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Tin Lizzie In A Sentence

Half the town learned to drive in a Tin Lizzie.
He patched the Tin Lizzie's tire with chewing gum and string.
The Tin Lizzie chugged along at a stately twenty miles an hour.

Origin & Usage

American slang from the 1910s-1920s for the Ford Model T. 'Lizzie' was a common name for a hardworking servant, and 'tin' nodded to the car's light, plain construction; the nickname is widely attested in period writing.

Variants Lizzieflivver
Tags #1920s#flapper#jazz-age#vintage#automobile

People Also Ask

What was a Tin Lizzie?

It was the popular nickname for the Ford Model T, the affordable car that motorized America.

Why was it called a Tin Lizzie?

'Lizzie' was slang for a dependable servant girl, and 'tin' referred to the car's plain, lightweight build. The combination stuck as an affectionate name.

Is a flivver the same as a Tin Lizzie?

Close. 'Flivver' was 1920s slang for any cheap car and was often applied to the Model T specifically.

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