rider

American  

[rahy-der] / ˈraɪ dər /

noun

• riders
  plural

1. a person who rides a horse or other animal, a bicycle, etc.

2. something that rides.

3. an additional clause, usually unrelated to the main body, attached to a legislative bill in passing it.

4. an addition or amendment to a document, testament, etc.

5. any object or device that straddles, is mounted upon, or is attached to something else.

6. a rail or stake used to brace the corners in a snake fence.

7. Shipbuilding. any of various members following and reinforcing primary framing members, especially a plate or timber running along the top of a keel.

8. Numismatics.

   1. a former gold coin of Scotland, first issued by James III in 1475, whose obverse bears an equestrian figure of the king.

   2. any of several gold or silver coins of the Netherlands bearing the figure of a horseman.

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rider British  

/ ˈraɪdə /

noun

1. a person or thing that rides, esp a person who rides a horse, a bicycle, or a motorcycle

2. an additional clause, amendment, or stipulation added to a legal or other document, esp (in Britain) a legislative bill at its third reading

3. a statement made by a jury in addition to its verdict, such as a recommendation for mercy

4. any of various objects or devices resting on, surmounting, or strengthening something else

5. a small weight that can be slid along one arm of a chemical balance to make fine adjustments during weighing

6. geology a thin seam, esp of coal or mineral ore, overlying a thicker seam

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rider Cultural  

1. A provision, usually controversial and unlikely to pass on its own merits, that is attached to a popular bill in the hopes that it will “ride” to passage on the back of the popular bill.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• riderless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• riders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rider

before 1100; Middle English ridere, Old English. See ride, -er ¹

Explanation

Riders are people who are in motion — riding bicycles, subways, horses, roller coasters and much more. Another kind of rider is a special list that attaches to, or "rides along" with, a contract. The noun rider means "one who rides," but its other meaning is "a document that is added to legal or official documents." On Capitol Hill, lawmakers add riders to legislation documents to try to get certain stipulations to be part of new laws. You may have heard of touring musicians who demand that certain rare flowers be placed in their hotel rooms, which must have Italian linen sheets on the bed, and be exactly 71 degrees. It's all in the rider of the tour contract.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rider riders

Tarling, the younger brother of Netcompany-Ineos rider Josh, had raced for Great Britain on the road and track.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

In the end, it was won by Demi Vollering, a mega-talented Dutch rider on a French team who became the first woman to win the Tour twice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Movistar's Reusser retains the yellow jersey after the 153.4km ride from Montbrison to Tournon-sur-Rhone, holding a 12-second lead over Dutch rider Demi Vollering.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Li's team has grown to seven members working together to advertise online and to passersby, drive the bikes, and edit the footage, with each rider attracting around six to 12 customers a night.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

I stood up straight to retie my bonnet and caught sight of a single rider drawing near.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

In a sport where the peloton used to pick its moments to exert energy, today's racing is "full gas from the word go" as riders try to find pace advantages in all areas of stages.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

The region’s Bay Area Rapid Transit commuter rail system reduced train speeds after the quake to complete safety inspections, and told riders to expect delays of about 20 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The Tour de France Femmes ends with a decisive victory by Demi Vollering, but not before some finger-pointing by riders and endless debate from fans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

And Det Con Steve Pennington from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit stressed e-scooters were not harmless toys and could lead to horrific consequences when used by inexperienced riders.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Up ahead, the plesiosaur riders were probably readying their artillery, or simply loading their muskets to enfilade them as soon as they were in range.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• driver
• passenger
• traveler