bike English · revision 4748

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1882|origins=en bicycle}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /baɪk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortened and altered form of [[bicycle]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A bicycle: 1882 in Barnhart, Etymonline and the OED, American English.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) MWU gives 1880.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was also used for a motorcycle from the start.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) The verb, to ride a bike, is from 1883 in the OED and by 1895 in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) ''Biker'' is late 19th century,^(OED 1989) later especially a member of a motorcycle gang.^(Collins 2023) In Australian and New Zealand slang, to ''get off one's bike'' (1939) is to lose control of oneself,^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) and the British ''on your bike!'', go away, is from 1967.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023) ''Bikeway'' is from 1967, originally North American.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1882 – a bicycle.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1883 – verb, to ride a bike.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1939 – ''get off one's bike''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1967 – ''on your bike!'' and ''bikeway''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(informal)'' A [[bicycle]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' A [[motorcycle]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To ride a bicycle or motorcycle.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bikeway]]

+ * [[minibike]]

+ * [[biker]]

+ * [[bikie]]

+ * [[push-bike]]

+ * [[exercise bike]]

+ * [[trail bike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bicycle]]

+ * [[cycle]]

+ * [[motorbike]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different word bike or byke, a nest of wild bees or wasps, and figuratively a swarm of people, is Scottish and northern English from before 1300, of uncertain origin.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023)^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}