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car breaker

British and Commonwealth English term for a person or business that dismantles end-of-life vehicles for parts and scrap.

ˈkɑɹ ˈbɹeɪkɚ57 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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UK
#1·Apr 28, 2026UK

British and Commonwealth English term for a person or business that dismantles end-of-life vehicles for parts and scrap. The US equivalent is 'auto wrecker' or 'junkyard operator'. Car breakers typically operate 'breakers' yards' where salvageable parts can be bought cheaply by DIY mechanics. The term is standard in the UK automotive trade and repair culture rather than particularly slangy. The term is instantly understood across all Commonwealth countries.

He found a replacement alternator at the car breaker for a fraction of dealer prices.
Origin: Compound of 'car' + 'breaker' (one who dismantles); straightforward UK trades terminology. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
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UK
#2·Apr 28, 2026UK

A car breaker is someone who works in the business of dismantling old or written-off vehicles for scrap and salvageable parts — the British term for what Americans might call a junkyard worker or auto wrecker. Car breakers' yards are the ecosystems where dead cars go to have their useful parts harvested. The term is matter-of-fact and functional rather than slang-heavy.

The car breaker stripped it down in less than a day — there was barely a bolt left by the time he was done.
Origin: Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents

"car breaker" means: A car breaker is someone who works in the business of dismantling old or written-off vehicles for scrap and salvageable parts — the British.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"car breaker" means: A car breaker is someone who works in the business of dismantling old or written-off vehicles for scrap and salvageable parts — the British.... Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (British) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word

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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, Commonwealth) One who works in car breaking.

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UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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