1. Plural of hansom; small, two-wheeled horse-drawn carriages with the driver's seat elevated at the back, used as taxis in cities during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Usage: historical; chiefly British

Examples

• The streets of Victorian London were filled with hansoms waiting for passengers.
• She hailed one of the hansoms outside the railway station.
• Hansoms were faster and more maneuverable than larger carriages.
• The detective arrived in a hansom, stepping out onto the foggy street.
• Wealthy travelers preferred hansoms for quick trips across the city.