tonneau

noun tonneaus · tonneaux

1. The rear body or compartment of some types of motor vehicle, especially one containing seats for passengers. From the tonneau of Bentley's car the sheriff and Garland removed the groceries and sick-room supplies, stowing them in the kyacks.
2. An old-style open passenger vehicle with a tonneau (rear compartment with seats). He has spent ten years lovingly restoring a rather luxurious tonneau with teak panelling and leather seats.
3. abbreviation, clipping Clipping of tonneau cover The first step was to install a tonneau cover. Now most pickup tonneaus snap onto studs screwed into the bodywork. The snaps rust, the holes in the truck rust and the tonneau—because the snaps are spaced every foot or so along the edges—eventually rips around the snaps.