bike

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural bikes
1
: bicycle
They watch a middle-aged man pedal by on his bike, the carrier filled to the brim with its own pile of collectables.Joanne Ramondt
2
: motorcycle
More than 100,000 motorcyclists are expected to descend on tiny Sturgis, S.D., this week for the annual Black Hills Motor Classic, the country's biggest bike rally.Newsweek
3
: motorbike
Yes, those are motorbikes racing around an ice track. No, that doesn't mean you should take your motorbike out on some ice and ride as fast as you can. These ice racers are serious. They modify their bikes to perform on the slippery surface provided by the great Michigan outdoors.Jessica Shepherd
4
: stationary bicycle
It's four in the morning and DeBartolo is already whirring away on the exercise bike. He'll ride and read for 90 minutes without stopping, then hit the rowing machine, then the stair-climber.Rick Reilly

bike

2 of 3

verb

biked; biking

intransitive verb

: to ride a bike

bike

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural bikes
1
chiefly Scotland : a nest of wild bees, wasps, or hornets
2
chiefly Scotland : a crowd or swarm of people

Examples of bike in a Sentence

Verb We biked to the park. He bikes in the mountains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto features a dedicated Kids Club filled with imaginative spaces for kids to play, including an indoor pool, tennis courts and bike rentals. Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 In addition to several new subdivisions, a large housing development with nature at the forefront will be built next to the bike trail off Harrison Avenue. The Enquirer, 1 Mar. 2024 The preserve can also be explored on foot, bike or horseback. Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 Beau Clark, 4, was riding his bike and ended up in the neighbor’s yard when he was attacked by their dog on Monday, the Morgan County Sheriff Office said in a statement to PEOPLE. Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Public transit services, bike lane and pedestrian walkway construction, tree maintenance and building electric vehicle charging infrastructure were highlighted as the plan’s highest-cost actions. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 The upgrades would expand and connect L.A.’s bike lanes, build dedicated bus lanes and nicer public transit stations. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Rent classic bikes at one of many rental agencies up and down the highway, or go for an easy-breezy electric bike from Pedego 30A to roll across the sand or the streets with no problem. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2024 It is based on a decentralized urban planning model in which all residents' needs are met within a 15-minute radius, regardless of the mode of transport used (on foot, by bike, by public transport). Arnaud Devigne, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
Sewing my own clothes, biking around San Francisco with my husband. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Feb. 2024 Thus, this study revealed that actually doing something — birding, gardening, photography, hiking, playing frisbee, biking or another activity — was more important than where a person lived. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024 Enjoy everything from hiking and biking to skiing and ice fishing. Madison Roberts, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024 Among the variables were the average cost of fitness club fees, number of swimming pools or ice skating rinks per capita, and the share of workers who bike or walk to work. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 18 Jan. 2024 Thirty-nine years ago, a teenage girl vanished while biking to work in a Massachusetts town. Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 The League of American Bicyclists named Bentonville a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community due to its investments in biking education programs, events and pro-bike policies and infrastructure, according to a press release. Lydia Fletcher, arkansasonline.com, 3 Feb. 2024 Make time to stroll or bike along the Tampa Riverwalk to spots like Armature Works, a stylish food hall within an old streetcar warehouse, and Stones Throw to slurp oysters in the open air along the Hillsborough River. Terry Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Feb. 2024 In recent years Foothills trails have been hit hard by users hiking and biking in mud and soft soil, creating ruts and widening paths despite Ridge to Rivers’ efforts to limit damage. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bike.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

by shortening & alteration

Noun (2)

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1885, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bike was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bike

Cite this Entry

“Bike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bike. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bike

noun
ˈbīk
bike verb
biker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bike

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!