rider

American  

[rahy-der] / ˈraɪ dər /

noun

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

• riderless adjective

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

I think her spirit is just all throughout Los Angeles; she was a public transportation rider for life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The Q36.5 rider said he "was far from the road and nobody knew I was there" but was "lucky" because he could talk on the radio to his team.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Grab food delivery rider Oracha, 48, said she was losing money because she has to switch off her app to search for fuel for an hour.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

“It was weird being stuck there,” said French rider Lara Tryba, who was in Doha with her horses Memphis and Shot Gun.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

When the smoke cleared, the rider was still galloping along beside them.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• driver
• passenger
• traveler