archaic
as in bike
a two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled by the use of pedals and steered through the use of handlebars a museum with an interesting collection of 19th-century velocipedes

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of velocipede My next bike, the red-and-yellow Big Wheel, had a lot in common with a velocipede known as the penny-farthing, which was invented in the eighteen-seventies. The New Yorker, 23 May 2022 Oakland Pedal Tours offers free velocipede shuttles between breweries, which are also within walking distance. Lisa Herendeen, The Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2019 And whereas Snead might view the velocipede as a vehicle on which to multitask, a more cynical observer could find a metaphor here for the GM’s tenure. Greg Bishop, SI.com, 24 Oct. 2017 While there are competing claims for the first true motorcycle, this one is a Roper steam velocipede (or at least a very impressive re-creation). David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 13 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for velocipede
Noun
  • Some have called Dullinger a single-issue candidate, overly focused on expanding the city’s bike network.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Knapp died in July of 2021 from injuries sustained on his bike after being hit by a distracted driver.
    Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • At one point, police officers on bicycles sheltered inside a hotel from a large group of protesters.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
  • He’s known for his passion for bicycles and previously helmed the Boise Bicycle Project.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Velocipede.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/velocipede. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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