penny-farthing

[pen-ee-fahr-thing]

noun

British.

1. a high bicycle of an early type, with one large wheel in front and one small wheel behind.

penny-farthing

noun

1. US name: ordinary. an early type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a small rear wheel, the pedals being attached to the front wheel

Word History and Origins

Origin of penny-farthing¹

From a comparison of the size difference between the two bicycle wheels to the size difference between an old British penny and a farthing

Word History and Origins

Origin of penny-farthing¹

C20: so called because of the similarity between the relative sizes of the wheels and the relative sizes of the (old) penny and farthing coins