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

Example Sentences

Verb We biked to the park. He bikes in the mountains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Schwarzenegger on stunts: 'Age definitely makes a difference' Schwarzenegger is still riding his bike and working out daily. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 25 May 2023 Enjoy the cool weather with a bike ride or explore the island’s lighthouses and historic sites. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2023 Troy and Kaycee finish the bike ride in first place, with Jordan and Kaz right behind them in second place. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 17 May 2023 Gear: Camping essentials, travel gadgets, luggage, bluetooth speakers, wireless headphones, pickleball paddles, golf clubs, camping coolers, backpacks, bikes, and more. Men's Health, 15 May 2023 The next series of shots includes a smiling, 85-year-old Blume riding her bike (presumably to the store) and encountering people who recognize her and tell her how much her books have meant to them. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2023 The restaurant, which is near the Loveland bike trail, shut down briefly. Jeanne Houck, The Enquirer, 8 May 2023 Evening at Lanserhof Spending a week alone - eating alone, sleeping alone, riding a bike through chilly bluffs alone - at first was refreshing coming from my home in New York where I’m always surrounded by people. Garrett Munce, Town & Country, 4 May 2023 On a brisk Wednesday recently, Smith and her son arrived at a shop in Santa Monica to pick up their bike rentals for the morning. Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023
Verb
Beach camping here is a highlight, but visitors can also enjoy biking and walking paths around the island. Laura Ratliff, Country Living, 25 May 2023 The bridge also has a zip line for guests to bike across, as well as cliff swings, according to CNN, while Kass Group also says there will be laser light shows that can be seen from the visitor's center and the restaurant. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2023 Or the cyclist who attempted to bike to the South Pole? Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2023 Soon, when the weather warms, the young fishers of Crossfield will bike out here with their poles and toss lines into the water. Johnny Magdaleno, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2023 And this can be achieved in any number of ways—walking a dog, doing yoga, biking, or dancing can all count toward a person’s 150 minute weekly goal, experts said. Julia Landwehr, Health, 22 Mar. 2023 The rate includes three meals daily plus snacks, wine with lunch and dinner, tennis, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, miniature golf, horseback riding, and biking. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2023 The comments in question came Sunday when Biden was biking in Delaware and stopped to answer a few questions from reporters. Zachary Halaschak, Washington Examiner, 15 May 2023 Walking Tamales are perfect for on-the-go whether biking, hiking, walking, or for simply snacking at home, and with up to 7 grams of protein in select varieties, Walking Tamales fit seamlessly into active lifestyles. Ashley Martens, redbookmag.com, 10 May 2023 See More

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 8 Jun. 2023.

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!