velocipede
/vəˈlɑsəˌpid/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.57 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An early two-wheeled conveyance upon which one rode astride a wooden frame propelled by means of pushing the feet against the ground.
noun
any wheeled vehicle powered by pedaling and steered with a handlebar, including but not limited to bicycles and tricycles.
noun
Any three- or four-wheeled machine driven by foot or hand levers to the rear or front axle.
Archaic
verb
to ride on velocipede
Example Sentences
- "Polly laughed as she ran to view the ruin, for Tom lay flat on his back with the velocipede atop of him"
- "Jimmie Trescott's new velocipede had the largest front wheel of any velocipede in Whilomville."
- "“They can play with Willie’s playthings,” Nellie said. “They can’t ride on my velocipede!” Willie shouted."
- "[…] his eyes fell upon the instantly recognizable if somewhat battered form of his own bicycle bell. […] 'Hold up there!' he cried, and 'Enough of that! Let loose that velocipede!' Archroy heard the Irishman's frenzied cries and released his grip. Marchant toppled to the dust in a tangle of flailing spokes."
- "I sense a portent inflating / an unlikely fellowship forming / and yet as swiftly as communion effloresced, / they leave, / pedalling into the distance / on their restored velocipede."
- "Polly and Maud willingly went, and watched his struggles with deep interest, till he got an upset, which nearly put an end to his velocipeding forever."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: vélocipède
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /vəˈlɑsəˌpid/