Where does “bicycle” come from?
Bicycle derives from Latin bi- meaning "two" and Latin -cycle from Latin cyclus, ultimately from Ancient Greek κύκλος, tracing back to Proto-Indo-European kʷel- meaning "to turn."
bicycle (English): A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the...
Definitions
- A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the...
Ancestry of “bicycle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | bicycle | bicycle |
| 2 | French | bi- | bi |
| 3 | Latin | bis | twice, two times, on two occasions, in two ways |
| 4 | Latin | color | colour, shade; color; pigment; complexion |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μέτρον | something used to measure: measure, rule, weight;... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -τρον | Forms instrument nouns |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | -tron | Forms instrument nouns from verb stems |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -trom | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -tḗr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |