An automobile was formerly called a horseless carriage.是什么意思？

An automobile was formerly called a horseless carriage.

汽车原来被叫做不用马拉的车子.

an

art. 一（在元音字母前代替不定代词a），一任一某一，一个；

例句
He started eating an apple...
他开始吃苹果。

automobile

n. <美>汽车；v. 开汽车，坐汽车；

例句
Assembling automobile and their his machinery uses an accumulator cell.
组装汽车及其他机械用蓄电池.

was

v. 用来表示某人或某物即主语本身，用来表示某人或某物属于某一群体或有某种性质（ be的过去式 ），在，存在，不受干扰；

例句
There was a terrible sadness in her eyes...
她眼神中流露出深深的悲伤。

formerly

adv. 原来，原先，以前，从前，刚才，先头；

例句
He had formerly been in the Navy.
他从前在海军服役。

called

v. 叫( call的过去式和过去分词 )，通电话，认为，估计；

例句
He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.
他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

horseless

adj. 无马的，不用马的，自行推进的；

例句
An automobile was formerly called a horseless carriage.
汽车原来被叫做不用马拉的车子.

carriage

n. 运输，输送，（旧时载客的）四轮马车，〈英〉火车客车车厢，运费；

例句
The President-elect followed in an open carriage drawn by six beautiful gray horses.
新当选的总统紧随其后，乘坐一辆由6匹漂亮的灰马拉着的敞篷马车。