phaeton Look up phaeton at Dictionary.com
type of light four-wheeled carriage, 1742, from Fr. (1735), from Gk. Phaethon name of the son of Helios and Clymene, who tried to drive his father's sun-chariot but crashed after almost setting fire to the whole earth. His name is lit. "shining," from phaein "to shine, gleam," from phaos "light." Earlier as a name for a rash or adventurous driver (1593).