bike

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbīk 

plural bikes

1

: bicycle

They watch a middle-aged man pedal by on his bike, the carrier filled to the brim with its own pile of collectables.

—Joanne Ramondt

2

: motorcycle

More than 100,000 motorcyclists are expected to descend on tiny Sturgis, S.D., this week for the annual Black Hills Motor Classic, the country's biggest bike rally.

—Newsweek

3

: motorbike

Yes, those are motorbikes racing around an ice track. No, that doesn't mean you should take your motorbike out on some ice and ride as fast as you can. These ice racers are serious. They modify their bikes to perform on the slippery surface provided by the great Michigan outdoors.

—Jessica Shepherd

4

: stationary bicycle

It's four in the morning and DeBartolo is already whirring away on the exercise bike. He'll ride and read for 90 minutes without stopping, then hit the rowing machine, then the stair-climber.

—Rick Reilly

bike

2 of 3

verb

biked; biking

intransitive verb

: to ride a bike

bike

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural bikes

1

chiefly Scotland : a nest of wild bees, wasps, or hornets

2

chiefly Scotland : a crowd or swarm of people

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• bicycle
• cycle
• push-bike [British]
• push bicycle
• two-wheeler
• velocipede [archaic]

Noun (2)

• army
• cram
• crowd
• crush
• drove
• flock
• herd
• horde
• host
• legion
• mass
• mob
• multitude
• press
• rout
• scrum
• swarm
• throng

Examples of bike in a Sentence

Noun (1)

likes to ride her mountain bike on weekends

Verb

We biked to the park.

He bikes in the mountains.

the boisterous bike that annually descends upon Edinburgh for the Fringe

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One place where the new bike more clearly departs from the original is in terms of suspension. —William Roberson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Given its location within the pancake-flat Po river valley, Rimini is highly suited to getting around by bike. —Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2024

Verb

In 2025, a new rail trail will connect Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, perfect for cross-country skiing in winter and biking in summer. —Roger Sands, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

These versatile jeans can be dressed up with a chic blazer for an evening out, or kept casual and cool with a pair of sneakers for a day of biking throughout the city. —Riana Singh, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

by shortening & alteration

Noun (2)

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1885, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bike

• dirt bike
• e-bike
• electric bike
• exercise bike
• mountain bike
• push-bike
• quad bike
• trail bike

Kids Definition

bike

noun

ˈbīk

1

: bicycle entry 1

2

: motorcycle

bike verb

biker noun