Standard Lemma guide

velocipede

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /vɪˈlɒs.ɪ.piːd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /vəˈlɑsəˌpid/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An early two-wheeled conveyance upon which one rode astride a wooden frame propelled by means of pushing the feet against the ground.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

any wheeled vehicle powered by pedaling and steered with a handlebar, including but not limited to bicycles and tricycles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any three- or four-wheeled machine driven by foot or hand levers to the rear or front axle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A late-1860s bicycle driven by cranks on the front axle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A bicycle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: humorous

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

to ride on velocipede

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

a vehicle with three wheels that is moved by foot pedals

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tricycle, trike

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wheeled vehicle

Narrower terms: pedicab, cycle rickshaw

8

noun

Meaning 8

any of several early bicycles with pedals on the front wheel

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bicycle, bike, wheel, cycle

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French vélocipède, from Latin velox (“swift”) + pes (“foot”).

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: belozipedo — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Catalan: velocípede — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Czech: velocipéd — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Danish: velociped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Esperanto: velocipedo — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Finnish: velosipedi — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • French: vélocipède — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Galician: velocípede — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Georgian: ველოსიპედი (velosiṗedi) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Georgian: დრეზინი (drezini) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • German: Veloziped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Hungarian: velocipéd — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Ido: velocipedo — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Italian: velocipede — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Japanese: ベロシペード (beroshipēdo) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Latvian: velosipēds — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Macedonian: велосипе́д (velosipéd) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: velosiped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: velosiped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Polish: welocyped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Portuguese: velocípede — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Romanian: velociped — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Russian: костотря́с (kostotrjás) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Russian: велосипе́д (velosipéd) — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Serbo-Croatian: велосѝпе̄д — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Serbo-Croatian: velosìpēd — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Slovak: velocipéd — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Spanish: velocípedo — early two-wheeled conveyance
  • Bulgarian: дрезина (drezina) — (archaic) generic term for three- and four-wheeled machines driven by hand or foot levers
  • Portuguese: velocípede — (archaic) generic term for three- and four-wheeled machines driven by hand or foot levers