Showing results for "cycling"

• present participle of cycle.

cycling

American  

[sahy-kling] / ˈsaɪ klɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or sport of riding or traveling by bicycle, motorcycle, etc.

2. Also called bicycle race, bicycle racing. Sports. a race on lightweight bicycles with low handlebars, conducted for specified distances or against time on a dirt or board track or over public roads between cities.

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Etymology

Origin of cycling

First recorded in 1935–40; cycle + -ing ¹

Explanation

When you ride a bicycle, you are cycling. Sometimes, though less often, it also is used to refer to motorcycle riding. The roots of the word cycling are ancient. Both Latin and Greek have similar words that mean "circle, wheel." It's only natural, then, that a two-wheeled vehicle should be a bicycle and that cycling involves riding that vehicle. Occasionally, it can be used as a verb describing something going through a cycle, like a dishwasher cycling through.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cycling

By cycling the kill switch mounted in the right lazarette, I was able to get the motor started and running for a few seconds at a time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

Polaczy, who is now 80, said donating cycling shorts wasn't cheap, but it was worth it for her own peace of mind.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

The office also can lift obstacles to building more affordable housing, while using its prosecutor role to shift many homeless offenders to diversion programs “rather than cycling people between jails and our streets,” Roy said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

These organisms play an important role in nutrient cycling on Earth and can help plants, soils, and other organisms gain access to essential resources.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

I could hole up in my bedroom and not talk to anyone and spend the next four days cycling through my ever-expanding repertoire of daydreams.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli