# bicycle

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ · frequency rank #7,314

## Definitions
1. A vehicle that has two primary wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals.
2. Any similar vehicle powered by human pedaling or steered with a handlebar, regardless of the number of wheels.
3. A traveling block used on a cable in skidding logs.
4. The best possible hand in lowball.
5. A motorbike.
6. A slut; a promiscuous woman.
7. A stabilizing technique in which one foot is pushed down while the other is pulled up.
8. The wheel: either the lowest straight (A-2-3-4-5) or the best low hand in Lowball or High-low poker.
9. A bicyclic molecule.
10. Two interconnected metabolic cycles.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁
Proto-Indo-European *dwís
Proto-Italic *dwis
Old Latin duis
Latin bisder.
French bi-
Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-
Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos
Ancient Greek κῠ́κλος (kŭ́klos)der.
Late Latin cyclusder.
Middle French
French cycle
French bicyclebor.
English bicycle
Borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“two”) + cycle (“cycle”). By surface analysis, bi- + cycle. First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847.
(promiscuous woman): From double meaning of ride ("to transport oneself upon" vs. "to mount someone to have sex with them"). A communal bicycle would have many riders.

## Common misspellings (11)
`bbicycle`, `bciycle`, `biccycle`, `biccyle`, `bicyccle`, `bicycel`, `bicyclle`, `bicylce`, `bicyycle`, `biyccle`, `ibcycle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bicycle