pedal

1 of 3

noun

ped·​al ˈpe-dᵊl How to pronounce pedal (audio)
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 How to pronounce pedal (audio)
 also  ˈpē-
: of or relating to the foot
2
ˈpe-dᵊl How to pronounce pedal (audio) : of, relating to, or involving a pedal

pedal

3 of 3

verb

ped·​al ˈpe-dᵊl How to pronounce pedal (audio)
pedaled also pedalled; pedaling also pedalling ˈpe-dᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce pedal (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Albeit, the Sounders may have let off the gas pedal with a multi-goal lead. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2025 But most race car drivers use their left foot to brake instead of placing it on the clutch pedal to help brake into the corners, as van Gisbergen and his Supercars colleagues in Australia do. Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Adjective
Under the town’s rules, anyone younger than 16 can ride less powerful Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes without motor assistance, relying on pedal power alone. Paulina Czupryna, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025 Alongside the additional oomph, Aston Martin has also altered the throttle map, launch control and pedal weight, meaning 0-to-62 mph takes just 3.4 seconds, while 0-to-124 mph is done in 10.1 seconds; top speed remains the same at 201 mph, but the new Vantage is a bit quicker in getting there. Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Verb
For those that prefer to pedal, Yokohama has a user-friendly community e-bike program, Yokohama Bay Bikes. Kim Kay, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025 Some reach higher speeds than others, and some don’t require the bicyclist to pedal. Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pedal

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pedal was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedal. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

pedal

1 of 2 noun
ped·​al ˈped-ᵊl How to pronounce pedal (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on pedal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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