bike en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /baɪk/
- /bɑɪ̯k/ (Australia)
- /bɐɪk/ (Canada)
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *dwís Proto-Italic *dwis Old Latin duis Latin bisder. French bi- Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-redup. Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos Proto-Hellenic *kʷókʷlos Proto-Hellenic *kúklos Ancient Greek κῠ́κλος (kŭ́klos)der. Late Latin cyclusder. Middle French French cycle French bicyclebor. English bicycleclip. English bike Clipping of bicycle. First attested in 1882. One explanation for the form with /k/ is that bicycle was parsed to bi(cy)c(le). An alternative explanation is that it was parsed to bic(ycle) but since speakers are aware of a general /k/~/s/ alternation (as in electric ~ electricity etc.), the softened /s/ was restored to a default /k/ when the “ending” -ycle was dropped. Similar cases are merc /mɜɹk/, spec /spɛk/ for mercenary, specify. It seems unlikely, however, that this process is purely phonological and not at least partially based on the spelling ⟨c⟩.
Meanings
-
(abbreviation, alt-of, clipping) Clipping of bicycle.
alt of bicycle
It's called a gravel bike, and seems to combine the advantages of both road and mountain bikes – with a similar ability to lap up the miles on tarmac as a road bike, while still being very capable off-road.
2017, Chiz Dakin, Cycling in the Peak District […] , Cicerone Press Limited, →ISBN:Some of the bikes parked outside Granite Oaks Middle School are the Class Two e-bikes the district is banning.
2025 December 11, Michelle Bandur, “Rocklin schools put the brakes on class 2 e-bikes due to more crashes, safety concerns”, in KCRA:
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(abbreviation, alt-of, clipping) Clipping of motorbike.
alt of motorbike
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Any vehicle sharing some characteristics with a bicycle or motorbike, such as pedal power, a handlebar, or a saddle.
He warmed up the engine; the bike hovered off the ground despite his weight and the extra equipment.
2017 July 17, Nell's Tavern, Larry Brasington, page 50:In 2017, Amsterdam banned beer bikes from the center of the Dutch city. About 6,000 locals signed a petition, calling on the council to outlaw the vehicles, referring to them as a “terrible phenomenon.”
2021 May 18, Michael Hearst, Unconventional Vehicles: Forty-Five of the Strangest Cars, Trains, Planes, Submersibles, Dirigibles, and Rockets EVER, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 17:
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(abbreviation, alt-of, derogatory, ellipsis, slang) Ellipsis of village bike.
alt of village bike
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| bikes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bikie · rat bike · bike lane · quad bike · bike box · snow bike · exercise bike · trail bike · biker · bikeporn · railbike · lady's bike · bike taxi · bikeless · bikeroad · bike-shedding · bike lock · litrebike · village bike · bike jockey strap · bar bike · comfort bike · antibike · bikelike · spinning bike · bikelash · e-bike · skybike · push-bike · hoverbike · Boris bike · outbike · superbike · waterbike · party bike · push bike · Christ on a bike · sport bike · pocket bike · musclebike · water bike · sportbike · bikepacker · bikery · bikable · off-road bike · bike stand · ghost bike · bikeway · dirtbike · bikefishing · monkey bike · box bike · bike motocross · bike lift · bike pump · bikepacking · handbike · conference bike · minibike · bikeshed · BMX bike · beer bike · bike-lash · skibike · on your bike · stationary bike · bike staple · bike ride · bike station · bikey · aqua bike · racebike · bikeathon · bike cab · balance bike · bike path · town bike · on yer bike · biketard · like riding a bike · bikewear · bikelock · gravel bike · bike fork · bikeshare · aquabike · bike-and-ride · bikemaker · bike shed · bike chain · hyperbike · bike throw · hand bike · bike rack
Descendants
Hyponyms
dirt bike · fat bike · run bike · fatbike · pit bike · fire bike · cross bike · pushbike · road bike · mountain bike · utility bike · track bike · cargo bike · street bike · electric bike · racing bike
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (152)
pl motocykl (motorcycle) · no motorsykkel (motorcycle) · es bici (bicycle) · pt moto (motorcycle) · ru мотоци́кл (motorcycle) · pt bicicleta (bicycle) · sk cundra (promiscuous woman) · fi hutsu (promiscuous woman) · sk bicykel (bicycle) · hu bicó (bicycle) · sv båge (motorcycle) · kw diwros (bicycle) · pa ਮੋਟਰਸਾਈਕਲ (motorcycle) · vi xe gắn máy (motorcycle) · fr traînée (promiscuous woman) · da cykel (bicycle) · de Rad (bicycle) · km រទេះកង់ (bicycle) · ro bicicletă (bicycle) · gur kutuyeho (bicycle) · ja バイク (motorcycle) · pa ਬਾਈਕ (motorcycle) · ja ケッタ (bicycle) · es moto (motorcycle) · yi וועלאָסיפּעד (bicycle) · sl kolo (bicycle) · uk велосипед (bicycle) · sv motorcykel (motorcycle) · ta பைக் (motorcycle) · gsw Velo (bicycle) · th มอเตอร์ไซค์ (motorcycle) · pl motor (motorcycle) · hy հեծանիվ (bicycle) · fi moottoripyörä (motorcycle) · pl latawica (promiscuous woman) · lb Vëlo (bicycle) · lo ຣົຖຈັກ (motorcycle) · lo ລົດຈັກ (motorcycle) · vo saikul (bicycle) · fy fyts (bicycle) · mg môtô (motorcycle) · pt mota (motorcycle) · pl rower (bicycle) · hu moci (motorcycle) · or ମଟର ସାଇକେଲ (motorcycle) · ja チャリンコ (bicycle) · ja チャリ (bicycle) · it bici (bicycle) · ru велосипе́д (bicycle) · mos kut-weefo (bicycle) · ka ველოსიპედი (bicycle) · id sepeda motor (motorcycle) · is reiðhjól (bicycle) · dng мотуәчә (motorcycle) · de Motorrad (motorcycle) · gd bàic (motorcycle) · quc kej ch'ich' (motorcycle) · de Moped (motorcycle) · hy մոտոցիկլետ (motorcycle) · ca bici (bicycle) · pt bici (bicycle) · nl velo (bicycle) · si යතුරුපැදිය (motorcycle) · tr velespit (bicycle) · gur kut-weefo (bicycle) · da motorcykel (motorcycle) · yi ביציקלעט (bicycle) · bn ঠেংগাড়ী (bicycle) · tr çalınga (bicycle) · de Drahtesel (bicycle) · hu bringa (bicycle) · fi fillari (motorcycle) · et jalgratas (bicycle) · gd bàic (bicycle) · mh baajkōļ (bicycle) · et mootorratas (motorcycle) · pa ਮੋਟਰਬਾਈਕ (motorcycle) · sh bicikl (bicycle) · it bicicletta (bicycle) · hu bicaj (bicycle) · sd سائيڪل (bicycle) · eu bizikleta (bicycle) · el ποδήλατο (bicycle) · cy beic (bicycle) · hu motorkerékpár (motorcycle) · id sepeda (bicycle) · cs kolo (bicycle) · quc b'isiklet (bicycle) · tl bisikleta (bicycle) · cy beic modur (motorcycle) · pt puta (promiscuous woman) · sd موٽر سائيڪل (motorcycle) · it puttana (promiscuous woman) · nl motorfiets (motorcycle) · tr derrace (bicycle) · sl motorno kolo (motorcycle) · nl brommer (motorcycle) · el μοτοσυκλέτα (motorcycle) · yi ביציקל (bicycle) · hu bicikli (bicycle) · el μηχανάκι (motorcycle) · cs motorka (motorcycle) · quc keja ch'ich' (motorcycle) · fr vélo (bicycle) · vi xe máy (motorcycle) · lt dviratis (bicycle) · nl fiets (bicycle) · fi polkupyörä (bicycle) · fi fillari (bicycle) · ta சைக்கிள் (bicycle) · de Fahrrad (bicycle) · hy մոտո (motorcycle) · or ସାଇକେଲ (bicycle) · tr bisiklet (bicycle) · vo motorasaikul (motorcycle) · km កង់ (bicycle) · ca moto (motorcycle) · sk motorka (motorcycle) · hy հեծո (bicycle) · el μηχανή (motorcycle) · ja 自転車 (bicycle) · gl moto (motorcycle) · mos kut weefo (bicycle) · pt vaca f, cabra f) (promiscuous woman) · fr moto (motorcycle) · de Velo (bicycle) · gl bici (bicycle) · fi pyörä (bicycle) · mh wōtbai (motorcycle) · ru ве́лик (bicycle) · vi xe đạp (bicycle) · it moto (motorcycle) · sv mc (motorcycle) · lo ລົດຖີບ (bicycle) · ky чалынгыч (bicycle) · sv MC (motorcycle) · fi prätkä (motorcycle) · sv cykel (bicycle) · ka მოტოციკლეტი (motorcycle) · pt bicla (bicycle) · quc joxol ixoq (promiscuous woman) · fa دوچرخه (bicycle) · cy hwren (promiscuous woman) · hu motor (motorcycle) · gd baic (bicycle) · fr pute (promiscuous woman) · th จักรยาน (bicycle) · ko 자전거 (bicycle) · yi ראָווער (bicycle) · fo hjól (bicycle) · km ម៉ូតូ (motorcycle) · no sykkel (bicycle)