penny-farthing

American  

[pen-ee-fahr-thing] / ˈpɛn iˌfɑr ðɪŋ /

noun

British.

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

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penny-farthing British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of penny-farthing

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

Example Sentences

Still, that someone who dresses like a Victorian gentleman on a penny-farthing can wrap his head around digital currency speaks to the power of the past to inform the present.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

A traditional race in Prague saw enthusiasts riding penny-farthing bicycles, while in northern England a statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2022

There’s a QR code on the menu cover, in the space where you once gazed at an illustration of a Victorian gentleman posing with his penny-farthing.

From Washington Post • May 23, 2022

Some feel threatened by the rising popularity of e-bikes, as though standard bikes will suddenly vanish like the penny-farthing once everyone goes electric.

From The Verge • Oct. 10, 2019

“First of all let me give you this penny-farthing as your wages, and now let us go and meet them without fear.”

From The Legend of the Glorious Adventures of Tyl Ulenspiegel in the land of Flanders and elsewhere by Coster, Charles de