scooter

noun

scoot·​er ˈskü-tər 

plural scooters

1

a

: a vehicle ridden usually while standing that consists of a narrow footboard mounted between or atop two wheels tandem, that has an upright steering handle attached to the front wheel, and that is moved by pushing with one foot

What pleases parents is the addition of hand brakes, which make today's scooters relatively safe.

—Newsweek

b

: a similar vehicle propelled by an electric motor

The rules are part of the city's attempts to cope with the rapid influx of scooters that have proven wildly popular but also raised safety concerns as they zip around at 20 mph, weaving between pedestrians or darting into traffic.

—Ely Portillo

called also electric scooter, e-scooter

2

: motor scooter

3

: a single-person vehicle ridden while seated that usually has three or four wheels and an open body framework, is typically propelled by an electric motor, and is used especially by those with impaired mobility

… where students with the most severe physical challenges—all use motorized wheelchairs or scooters—live on the first floor.

—Jodi S. Cohen

called also mobility scooter

Examples of scooter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some bought scooters, and others invested in goats, said Nguyen Van Thinh, 47, the leader of a club that has 260 members with disabilities. —Damien Cave, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025

This is clearly a jibe at the earlier problems of Ola’s scooters and their infamous unreliability. —New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2025

The retirement community not having any prominent residents who use a wheelchair, scooter, walker, or even cane is the elder comedy equivalent of the Friends being able to afford palatial Manhattan apartments while working subsistence jobs in their mid-twenties. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025

Jenny can’t figure out how to use her scooter properly, giving Michele some leeway to secure first place and a bit of redemption. —Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing scooter

• electric scooter
• e-scooter
• mobility scooter
• motor scooter

Rhymes for scooter

• neuter
• pewter
• router
• shooter
• suitor
• tutor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

Kids Definition

scooter

noun

scoot·​er ˈsküt-ər 

1

: a child's vehicle consisting of a narrow base between a front and a back wheel and guided by a handle attached to the front wheel

2

: motor scooter