tandem

1 of 3

noun

tan·​dem ˈtan-dəm 

1

a

: tandem bicycle

b(1)

: a 2-seated carriage drawn by horses harnessed one before the other

(2)

: a team so harnessed

c

: a vehicle (such as a motortruck) having close-coupled pairs of axles

2

: a group of two or more arranged one behind the other or used or acting in conjunction

tandem

2 of 3

adverb

: one after or behind another

ride tandem

tandem

3 of 3

adjective

1

: consisting of things or having parts arranged one behind the other

2

: working or occurring in conjunction with each other

Phrases

in tandem

1

: in partnership or conjunction

2

: in a tandem arrangement

Examples of tandem in a Sentence

Noun

The team has a tandem of talented guards.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

As an all-around baseball player, Soto couldn’t ride tandem on Fernando’s motorcycle. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2023

Adjective

During a tandem bike ride, both riders need to coordinate their braking, accelerating and steering efforts. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025

The Best Adventure in Great Salt Lake State Park Rent a tandem kayak at the marina through Exclusive Excursions (from $40 for two hours) and paddle out to explore the biggest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. —Maya Silver, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2025

In close addiction tandem with Todd, Dacanay was dealing with his share of demons. —Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 11 Feb. 2025

The state's Department of Transportation banned empty and tandem commercial vehicles on I-86 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-390 and on State Route 219 from the Pennsylvania state line to I-90. —Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2024

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and imposed a travel ban on empty and tandem commercial vehicles earlier Friday. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024

An attached single-vehicle carport and a tandem one-car garage sit out front; and inside, a little more than 1,700 square feet of living space includes two bedrooms and and a trio of bathrooms. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 20 July 2024

After Alleman’s daughter was born, her husband surprised her with a tandem bike of her own. —Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2024

This is the most common style of spinnerbait, and a lot can be done with a tandem Colorado/willow leaf spinner in the 3/8- to 1/2-ounce range. —Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 23 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin, at last, at length (taken to mean "lengthwise"), from tam so; akin to Old English thæt that

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1b(1)

Adverb

circa 1795, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tandem

• tandem bicycle
• tandem repeat

Rhymes for tandem

• fandom
• random
• memorandum
• nonrandom

Kids Definition

tandem

1 of 2 noun

tan·​dem ˈtan-dəm 

1

a

: a two-seated carriage drawn by horses hitched one behind the other

b

: tandem bicycle

2

: a group of two or more arranged one behind the other

tandem

2 of 2 adverb or adjective

: one behind another

Etymology

Noun

from Latin tandem "at length, at last"

Word Origin

Tandem is used to describe many things that involve the connecting of one object to another similar object behind it. A tandem tractor-trailer truck has one trailer hitched behind another, which is attached to the truck body, or tractor. A bicycle built for two is called a tandem bicycle because it has one seat and set of pedals behind another. The first use of the word tandem in English was for a carriage pulled by one horse hitched behind, rather than beside, another. Whoever first used the term in English apparently was making a play on words. The Latin word tandem meant "at length" referring to time, but in English tandem came to mean "at length" or "lengthwise," referring to position.