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

Nicole Brown’s 13-year-old son was struck by a distracted driver while riding his pedal-assist e-bike home from school last year. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026

Pedersen opened a 20-metre gap in about five revolutions of his pedals, freewheeling across the line with the joy writ large across his face. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 7 July 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

Thomas was driving a 750-watt pedaled e-bike, according to police. — Matan Josephy, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2026

But these unprotected vehicles can run at automobile speeds, posing a risk of injury that’s greater than for those pedaling nonpowered, slower two-wheelers. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 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