pedal

1 of 3

noun

ped·​al ˈpe-dᵊl 

plural pedals

1

a

: a lever pressed by the foot in the playing of a musical instrument (such as an organ or piano)

b

: an electronic device that is usually pressed by the foot and that alters or loops the sound of an amplified voice or musical instrument

a guitar pedal

an effects pedal

a wah-wah pedal

2

: a foot lever or treadle by which a part is activated in a mechanism

a bike's pedals

pedal

2 of 3

adjective

ped·​al

1

ˈpe-dᵊl 

also ˈpē-

: of or relating to the foot

2

ˈpe-dᵊl  : of, relating to, or involving a pedal

pedal

3 of 3

verb

ped·​al ˈpe-dᵊl 

pedaled also pedalled; pedaling also pedalling ˈpe-dᵊl-iŋ 

ˈped-liŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to ride a bicycle

2

: to use or work a pedal

transitive verb

: to work the pedals of

Examples of pedal in a Sentence

Verb

He was pedaling as fast as he could.

He pedaled down to the store.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Each Baja Raptor with leather seat covers, carbon-fiber trim, and billet racing pedals. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 June 2026

The Nomads Pro is still aimed at riders who want to go beyond city limits but swaps rear-hub pedal-assist for a tasty mid-drive motor. — Paul Ridden june 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026

Adjective

One of my favorite things to do each morning was pedal to breakfast in the shade of giant palm trees with the smell of flowering hibiscus all around. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 3 July 2026

Class 1 e-bikes provide pedal assistance up to 20 mph, while Class 2 e-bikes include a throttle but stop assisting the rider at 20 mph. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Verb

But as a bicycle, my husband and I no longer pedal in unison. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026

Not all e-bikes are created alike; some can go faster than others, and some don’t require the rider to pedal. — Idaho Statesman, 30 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French pedalle "pedal of an organ," borrowed from Italian pedale, earlier, "base of a tree trunk," going back to Latin pedālis "one foot long" (as noun pedāle "footwear") — more at pedal entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from Latin pedālis "one foot long," from ped-, pēs "foot" + -ālis -al entry 1; (sense 2) from attributive use of pedal entry 1 — more at foot entry 1

Verb

derivative of pedal entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1883, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing pedal

• gas pedal
• pedal boat
• pedal bone
• pedal-note
• pedal point
• pedal pushers
• pedal steel
• pedal steel guitar
• put the pedal to the metal
• reverb pedal
• soft-pedal
• wah-wah pedal

Rhymes for pedal

• bedell
• heddle
• medal
• meddle
• peddle
• wedel
• bipedal
• intermeddle

Kids Definition

pedal

1 of 2 noun

ped·​al ˈped-ᵊl 

: a lever (as on a piano, bicycle, or sewing machine) worked by the foot

pedal

2 of 2 verb

pedaled also pedalled; pedaling also pedalling

ˈped-ᵊl-iŋ, 

-liŋ

1

: to use or work the pedals of something

2

: to ride a bicycle

Etymology

Noun

from early French pedale "a foot lever on an organ," from Italian pedale (same meaning), from Latin pedalis "of the foot," from ped-, pes "foot" — related to pedestrian

Medical Definition

pedal

adjective

ped·​al

ˈped-ᵊl also ˈpēd-

: of or relating to the foot