ped
1 Americanabbreviation
-
pedal.
-
pedestal.
combining form
combining form
Usage
What does ped- mean? Ped- is a combining form used like a prefix that has three distinct senses. The first of these senses is “child,” and this form of ped- is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. The form ped- in this sense comes from Greek paîs, meaning “child.”The second of these senses is "foot," and this form of ped- is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. The form ped- in this sense comes from Latin pēs, meaning "foot."The third of these senses is “soil,” and this form of ped- is very rarely used in a variety of scientific terms. The form ped- in this sense comes from Greek pédon, meaning “ground” or “earth.”What are variants of ped- with the sense “child”?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a consonant, ped- becomes pedo-, as in pedogenesis. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about pedo-. In British English, ped- in this sense is chiefly spelled paed-, as in paediatrics. What are variants of ped- with the sense “foot”?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a consonant, ped- becomes pedi-, as in pedicab. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about pedi-. When combined as a final element of a word, the related form -ped means "having a foot." To learn more, read our Words That Use feature on -ped below. What are variants of ped- with the sense “soil”?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a consonant, ped- becomes pedo-, as in pedology. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about pedo-.
What does -ped mean? The combining form -ped is used like a suffix meaning “having a foot.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form -ped comes from Latin -pēs, meaning “-footed.” The Greek cognate of -pēs is -pous, “-footed,” which is the source of numerous combining forms that relate to the lower extremities, including pod-, podo-, -pod, -poda, -pode, -podium, and -podous. Discover more at our Words That Use articles for each of these seven forms. What are variants of -ped?A variant of -ped is -pede, as in centipede, which comes from Latin centipeda. Though not a variant, the form pedi- has the same root as -ped. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles for -pede and pedi-.
Etymology
Origin of ped1
By shortening
Origin of -ped6
< Latin -ped-, stem of -pēs -footed, adj. derivative of pēs foot
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Detroit went so far as to paint “huge yellow footsteps” on its sidewalks in the 1920s, lest any ped fail to get the message.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 10, 2019
The pad ped beef, coins of meat strewn with bamboo shoots, long chilies, sweet basil, and fresh curry paste, will satisfy a spice hound.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 28, 2018
If the answer is “Yes,” then you need to tell your husband that an actual doctor has given you a referral to a developmental ped, based on her observation of your son.
From Slate ● Dec. 3, 2018
There are a lot of people that want to live downtown, but not ped mall downtown, so this will be a good option for them,” Kaut said.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 3, 2015
No," he added abruptly, "I won't drink that, you leprechaun; the man that ped for it is Hycy Burke, and I like Hycy Burke for one thing, an' I'll not dhrink bad luck to him.
From The Emigrants Of Ahadarra The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two by William Carleton
The PED gave Epstein a campus office, where he would meet—often on weekends—with top researchers and government officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
They hope the return of Fernando Tatis Jr. on Thursday after his 80-game PED suspension will add a spark.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 18, 2023
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 17: The Seahawks beat Arizona just three weeks ago, but the Cardinals have added elite receiver DeAndre Hopkins off a PED suspension since then.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 4, 2022
In the domestic draft, the top 300 players are subject to random PED testing upon registering for the draft.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2022
There’s virtually no doubt that there are PED users in the Hall already, and there’s something holier-than-thou about keeping others out.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 25, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.