What Are The Oddest Automotive Words?

Words have meaning. But in an ever-evolving environment like the automobile that has a vast array of technically descriptive language, it can be hard to keep up with the meaning of words, especially as new ones emerge or are created through common use. Anyone who’s said “the PRNDL” while pronouncing it “perndle” and using it as a noun will understand. And that’s where the Hagerty Community comes into play—collectively, we have deep knowledge reserves of all things automotive. That includes words in the automotive lexicon that might be considered odd or completely unfamiliar, especially to an outsider.

With that, we want to know your choice for the oddest automotive word you’ve ever heard. I have mine, and it’s something I recently said at my favorite local car show when a handful of C4 Corvette ZR-1s joined the show, with their posteriors bathed in red light.

CHMSL (Center High Mount Stop Light)

I told everyone around me to look at the CHMSL (pronounced ch-im-sul) to quickly spot a C4 Corvette ZR-1, as a “regular” 1991-1996 vette has the same squared-off tail lights but with a skinny center light mounted between them in the bumper. Sure, there are plenty of other differences that loyalists can immediately spot, but that brake light perched atop the hatchback is the easiest tell.

One of my friends (whom I consider to be savvier with cars than myself in many metrics) had never heard the phrase CHMSL, instead only knowing it from the more common term of “third brake light”. Both are right, but one was the internal name for wonks that soak up inside terminology for the car business.

So now I kick the question back to you, esteemed Hagerty Community member: What are the oddest automotive words?