cyclist
Americannoun
-
cyclists
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
I am a cyclist who does not shave my legs or arms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Welsh star Emma Finucane created history by becoming the first sprint cyclist to win four track gold medals at the same Games.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
In Birmingham in 2022, New Zealand cyclist Aaron Gate won four gold medals with three on the track and one in the road race.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Andrew Mack, 42, a cyclist who runs a government-affairs business, believes better cycling infrastructure will help wean people from their cars, particularly for short trips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
A cyclist dings his bell, so we step aside.
From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson
Car accidents are dangerous for everyone involved, but they have become even more hazardous for pedestrians and cyclists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
It’s an unexpected amenity in a part of the city that seems otherwise hostile to pedestrians and cyclists, but one Papas wants incorporated around more of Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
When asked if cyclists make up for lost customers, he shook his head.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
They are open to any and all fans who are prepared to spend a few hours by the side of the course to wind up mere inches from the most talented cyclists on the planet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It was empty, save for a couple of packs of cyclists that whizzed past, wearing those obscenely tight spandex shorts.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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.
