1.
vehicle, means of transportation
Any vehicle used for transportation, including cars, trains, bicycles, etc.
2.
ride (at amusement park)
An attraction at an amusement park that people ride on.
乗り物 is a general term for anything you ride — vehicles, amusement park rides, etc. Composed of 乗る (to ride) + 物 (thing).
MEANINGS:
1. Any vehicle or means of transportation: cars, trains, buses, bicycles, airplanes, boats
2. Amusement park rides: roller coasters, Ferris wheels, etc.
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 乗り物酔い: motion sickness
- 公共の乗り物: public transportation
- 乗り物に乗る: to ride a vehicle/ride
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 車両: vehicle (technical/official term, especially for trains and rail cars)
- 交通機関: transportation system (more formal, refers to the system rather than individual vehicles)