cyclist
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of cyclist
Explanation
If you ride a bicycle, you can call yourself a cyclist. It takes a lot longer for a cyclist to pedal up a hill than someone who's driving a car. Cyclist is short for bicyclist. Although you can use either word, cyclist has been more commonly used since the 1880s. Earlier, some people preferred to call bicycle riders "wheelmen" or "cyclers." You don't have to race in the Tour de France to be a cyclist; all you need is a two-wheeled vehicle that's propelled by pedaling, and a place to ride it!
Vocabulary lists containing cyclist
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cycl
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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.
For example, a cyclist who suddenly hits a curb experiences a sharp velocity gradient when the bike stops but the rider's momentum continues forward.
From Science Daily • May 26, 2026
A police officer at the scene of the crash told the BBC a bike and lorry were involved, with the cyclist in a "serious" condition in hospital.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Formerly an avid cyclist, Islas said the incident has irrevocably changed his life.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
The data is publicly available External link, and Tesla has reported 10 incidents, ranging from hitting other cars to hitting a cyclist.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
We changed cyclist and reader often as legs or voice grew tired, reading our way through histories, novels, plays.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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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.