bike

1 of 3

noun (1)

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The cameras will photograph vehicles parked or standing in bus or bike lanes (even for a few moments) and drivers will be sent citations through the mail. Monica Eng, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024 Bonhams The bike was officially sold at the Bonhams Spring Stafford Sale in April of this year. New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
An analysis of data from nearly 15,000 people revealed that running, biking, climbing stairs or brisk walking for just those few minutes can have a positive effect on blood pressure. Linda Carroll, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024 Even in the summer, this cabin is only accessible by biking or hiking trails. Will Porter, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bike 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of bike was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bike

Cite this Entry

“Bike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bike. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bike

noun
ˈbīk
bike verb
biker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bike

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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