bicycle

1 of 3

noun (1)

bi·​cy·​cle ˈbī-si-kəl 

-ˌsi-

also -ˌsī-

: a vehicle with two wheels tandem, handlebars for steering, a saddle seat, and pedals by which it is propelled

also : a stationary exercise machine that resembles such a vehicle

bicycle

2 of 3

verb

bicycled; bicycling ˈbī-si-k(ə-)liŋ 

-ˌsi-

also -ˌsī-

intransitive verb

: to ride a bicycle

transitive verb

: to move (one's legs) as if pedaling a bicycle

Naomi and I lay on the bed, bicycling our legs in the air in the lazy giggly manner of summer …

—Sophie Masson

bicycler

ˈbī-si-klər 

-ˌsi-

also -ˌsī-

noun

bicyclist

ˈbī-si-klist 

-ˌsi-

also -ˌsī-

noun

bicyclist

3 of 3

noun (2)

bi·​cy·​clist ˈbī-(ˌ)si-klist also -ˌsī- 

plural -s

: one that rides a bicycle

specifically : a bicycle racer

Synonyms of bicycle

Noun (1)

• bike

Examples of bicycle in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the range of the boy's explorations vastly expanded when he acquired his first bicycle

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Guests can get hygiene supplies, clothes, and donated bicycles from Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange, with free bicycle repairs on Saturdays. —Sharon Chin, CBS News, 11 June 2026

Such incidents involving multiple cyclists are rare in the Netherlands, where bicycle riding is woven into everyday life and almost all roads have dedicated cycle lanes. —ABC News, 11 June 2026

Verb

And the bicycling industry, in general, has faced declining sales and layoffs. —Mark Dent, HubSpot, 1 June 2026

Out of college at the University of Nebraska, Hendy had worked a white-collar job with Union Pacific before following the lure of the automobile to Denver, where a boyhood friend who had bicycled off in search of fortune had wound up as one of the first automotive kings of the West. —Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French, from bi- + -cycle (as in tricycle)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1868, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1869, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing bicycle

• bicycle shorts
• electric bicycle
• exercise bicycle
• fixed-gear bicycle
• fixed-wheel bicycle
• mountain bicycle
• stationary bicycle
• tandem bicycle

Rhymes for bicycle

• icicle

Kids Definition

bicycle

1 of 2 noun

bi·​cy·​cle ˈbī-ˌsik-əl 

-ˌsīk-

: a light vehicle with two wheels behind one another, handlebars, a saddle seat, and pedals by which it is made to move

bicycle

2 of 2 verb

bicycled; bicycling -ˌsik(-ə)-liŋ 

: to ride a bicycle

bicycler

-lər 

noun

bicyclist

-ləst 

noun