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Glite Dictionary
🚗 Vehicle tester 💻 Testing program
test driver

test driver

1 4.1
A person who drives new cars to see how they work
  • noun
  • /tɛst ˈdraɪvər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : conductor de pruebas
  • As a test driver, she provided valuable feedback on the vehicle's handling and comfort.

Examples

  • And I was Jimmy Johnson's test driver for five years going straight out of high school.

  • The test driver evaluated the new model to ensure it met performance standards.

  • He became a test driver after completing his training with the automotive engineering team.

Surface Forms

test driver singular
test drivers plural

Morphology

test + driver

The compound combines 'test' (an activity that checks performance) with 'driver' (one who drives), so there is a partial, metaphorical relation — a thing that 'drives' or runs tests. However, the specific technical sense 'a software component that runs automated tests' relies on computing jargon (an extended meaning of 'driver') and is unlikely to be fully predictable to a B1 learner who only knows the basic senses.

Etymology

Test driver comes from the simple image of a driver taking a new car out to run a test and look for problems. That's why it means 'a person who drives a vehicle to check its performance'.