Toyota

/toʊˈjoʊtə/ noun

Definition

A Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer; one of the world's largest car companies known for reliability and hybrid technology.

Etymology

Named after founder Kiichiro Toyoda, but spelled 'Toyota' because it required eight brush strokes in Japanese (considered lucky) versus ten for 'Toyoda'. The company was established in 1937 as a spin-off from Toyoda Automatic Loom Works.

Kelly Says

Toyota deliberately changed the spelling of their founder's family name for good luck - the number eight is considered highly auspicious in Japanese culture. Their 'Toyota Way' philosophy emphasizes continuous improvement (kaizen) and has influenced manufacturing practices worldwide.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.