bike

IPA/baɪk/
KK[bˈaɪk]IPA/baɪk/

bike — noun

  • bikesingular
  • bikesplural

1. a two-wheeled vehicle that you move by pushing pedals with your feet.

1.nounA1
Definition

a two-wheeled vehicle that you move by pushing pedals with your feet.

Example

Tova rides her bike to school when the weather is dry.

ride a bike to + place

A blue bike was leaning against the wall outside the bakery.

Common collocations
  • ride a bike
  • bike lane
  • bike lock
  • mountain bike
  • flat tire
Synonyms
  • bicycle

    the full and slightly more formal word

  • cycle

    common in British English, especially in signs and official writing

Grammar Patterns

ride a bike

go by bike

get on a bike

Usage Note

Often used with verbs like 'ride', 'park', 'lock', and 'rent'. Distinguish from sense 2 MOTORCYCLE: this sense has pedals, not an engine.

Common Mistakes

I went to school with bike.
I went to school by bike.
use 'by' for the means of travel.
My bike needs petrol.
My bike needs air in the tires.
this sense is a pedal vehicle, not a motorcycle.

2. an informal word for a motorcycle, a powered machine that you ride on two wheels

2.nounB1
Definition

an informal word for a motorcycle, a powered machine that you ride on two wheels.

Example

Leo arrived on his bike wearing a black helmet and wet boots.

on a bike with helmet context

A red bike with a loud engine was parked outside the motorcycle garage all night.

Common collocations
  • start a bike
  • park a bike
  • bike helmet
  • bike engine
  • police bike
Synonyms
  • motorcycle

    the standard neutral word

  • motorbike

    very close in meaning and common in British English

  • scooter

    a lighter type of motorbike, so not always the same

Grammar Patterns

ride a bike

start a bike

park a bike

Usage Note

In everyday speech, context often shows this sense clearly: words like 'helmet', 'engine', 'fuel', or 'start' usually point to a motorcycle, not a bicycle.

Common Mistakes

My bike has a broken engine.
My motorcycle has a broken engine.
if you need to avoid ambiguity, use 'motorcycle' instead of 'bike'.
I pedaled my bike up the hill.
I rode my bike up the hill.
when 'bike' means motorcycle, you ride it with an engine, not pedals.
Idioms

on your bike!

idiom

A rude way to tell someone to leave.

When Tom asked for money, his brother said 'on your bike!'

The teacher told the noisy student, 'on your bike!'

bike — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words can refer to the pedal-powered vehicle in noun sense 1, but they differ in tone and region. 'Bike' is the everyday choice in speech and casual writing. 'Bicycle' is the full form and sounds slightly more careful or formal, so it is common in instructions, notices, and product descriptions. 'Cycle' is especially common in British English, often in official or public language such as road signs or safety campaigns. 'Pushbike' is mainly British and is useful when speakers want to make it clear they mean a pedal bike, not a motorcycle. A parent might say, 'Put your bike in the shed,' while a road sign may say, 'Cycles use left lane.'

bike ↗bicycle ↗cycle ↗pushbike

Common collocations

Nouns

  • bike lane
  • bike helmet
  • bike courier

Phrases

  • ride a bike
  • bike to work
  • park a bike

Prepositions

  • by bike
  • on a bike

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Bike appeared in English in the late 1800s as a shortened form of bicycle. The longer word was built from parts meaning 'two' and 'wheel' or 'circle', which came into English through French from older Latin and Greek roots. Later, everyday English also extended bike to mean 'motorcycle', because that vehicle also has two wheels and is ridden in a similar way.