bicycle

A1 Topic:Transportation

US /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ UK /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #5597

Meanings

1

noun
A vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pushing pedals with your feet.

She rides her bicycle to school every day.
2

verb
To travel or ride on a bicycle.

I plan to bicycle across the country next summer.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a vehicle with two wheels... bike cycletwo-wheeler

2 verb · to travel or ride on a... pedal

More celeripedevelocipede

Word family

Forms bicycledbicyclesbicycling

Derived forms antibicycleautobicyclebicyclablebicyclelikebicyclerbicyclianbicyclismbicycliste-bicycleexercyclemotorbicycle

Related forms cycle motorcycle tricycle trike unicyclevelodrome

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

bicycle wheel
a circular frame with a tire that turns to support and move a bicycle

Noun + noun

Proverbs (4)

See all

Simplified etymology

Bicycle was formed in the mid-19th century from bi-, “two,” and Greek kuklos, “wheel.” The earlier velocipede, literally “rapid foot,” was an early form of bicycle.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwís Proto-Italic *dwis Old Latin duis Latin bisder. French bi- Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos Ancient Greek κῠ́κλος (kŭ́klos)der. Late Latin cyclusder. Middle French French cycle French bicyclebor. English bicycle Borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“two”) + cycle (“cycle”). By surface analysis, bi- + cycle. First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847. (promiscuous woman): From double meaning of ride ("to transport oneself upon" vs. "to mount someone to have sex with t…

*kʷel- Proto-Indo-European bicycle French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Transportation

External links

# bicycle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 5597

## Meanings
1. A vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pushing pedals with your feet.
2. To travel or ride on a bicycle.

## Examples
- She rides her bicycle to school every day.
- I plan to bicycle across the country next summer.

## Synonyms
- bike
- celeripede
- cycle
- velocipede

## Derived Forms
- antibicycle
- autobicycle
- bicyclable
- bicyclelike
- bicycler
- bicyclian
- bicyclism
- bicyclist
- e-bicycle
- exercycle
- motorbicycle

## Related Forms
- cycle
- motorcycle
- tricycle
- trike
- unicycle
- velodrome

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *kʷel-
- Root: bicycle
- Affix: bi- - two

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwís Proto-Italic *dwis Old Latin duis Latin bisder. French bi- Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos Ancient Greek κῠ́κλος (kŭ́klos)der. Late Latin cyclusder. Middle French French cycle French bicyclebor. English bicycle Borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“two”) + cycle (“cycle”). By surface analysis, bi- + cycle. First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847. (promiscuous woman): From double meaning of ride ("to transport oneself upon" vs. "to mount someone to have sex with t…

## AI Etymology
Bicycle was borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“two”) + cycle (“cycle”). By surface analysis, bi- + cycle. First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847. Bicycle's historical chain begins with Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ and Proto-Indo-European *dwís and later passes through Late Latin cyclus, Middle French, French cycle, French bicycle, English bicycle.

## Topics
- Transportation

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