domestique

American  

[doh-mes-teek] / ˌdoʊ mɛsˈtik /

noun

1. Cycling. a member of a bicycle-racing team who assists the leader, as by setting a pace, preventing breakaways by other teams, or supplying food during a race.

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Etymology

Origin of domestique

1980–85; < French: literally, domestic

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

domestique

Yates, 33, has been a loyal domestique to Pogacar since 2023, and is contracted for another two seasons.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Saturday's race came down to a front group of 12 and Wollaston, who had two FDJ-United Suez teammates in support, including Dutch domestique Amber Kraak, timed her finishing sprint to perfection.

From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026

The duo was later joined by Vingegaard domestique Sepp Kuss, who positioned himself at the front to guide his leader.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 21, 2022

As a domestique, which is a team’s worker bee, he had the job last week of picking up filled water bottles from the team car and distributing them among his teammates.

From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2021

Just as the Duke was raising his gun, thinking that if it was not a boar it was something else, I ventured a gentle whisper, "C'est votre domestique, Monseigneur."

From In the Courts of Memory, 1858 1875; from Contemporary Letters by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone