derailleur
noun
de·rail·leur
di-ˈrā-lər 
: a mechanism for shifting gears on a bicycle that operates by moving the chain from one set of exposed gears to another
Examples of derailleur in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So far on the Divide I’d been chased by dogs, climbed a tree to get away from a territorial bull, and shattered my derailleur a week into the route.
—
Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 15 Aug. 2024
Think of it somewhat like a bicycle’s derailleur gears, only lightning-quick.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 28 June 2024
The two biggest sticking points for me were making adjustments to the placement of the back brake caliper and the derailleur cable, which are not exactly part of the assembly.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 14 June 2024
Mind the battery, though—after putting 140 miles on the Creo, my Garmin warned me that the rear (and only) derailleur battery was critically low.
—Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for derailleur 
Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 15 Aug. 2024
Think of it somewhat like a bicycle’s derailleur gears, only lightning-quick.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 28 June 2024
The two biggest sticking points for me were making adjustments to the placement of the back brake caliper and the derailleur cable, which are not exactly part of the assembly.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 14 June 2024
Mind the battery, though—after putting 140 miles on the Creo, my Garmin warned me that the rear (and only) derailleur battery was critically low.
—Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for derailleur
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'derailleur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to derailleur
Dictionary Entries Near derailleur
Cite this Entry
“Derailleur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derailleur. Accessed 10 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
derailleur
noun
de·rail·leur
di-ˈrā-lər
: a device for shifting gears on a bicycle that operates by moving the chain from one set of exposed gears to another
Etymology
from French dérailleur "gear changing device," from dérailler "to derail"
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share