scooter

¹ American  

[skoo-ter] / ˈsku tər /

noun

1. Also called kick scooter.  a child's vehicle that typically has two wheels with a low footboard between them, is steered by a handlebar, and is propelled by pushing one foot against the ground while resting the other on the footboard.

2. Also called electric scooter.  Also called e-scooter.  a similar vehicle with or without a seat, propelled by a motor powered by rechargeable batteries.

3. Also called motor scooter.  a lightweight motor vehicle similar to a motorcycle, having a saddlelike seat mounted over the engine and a footboard to rest the feet.

4. (in the U.S. and Canada) a sailboat equipped with runners for use on ice.

5. Pacific barracuda.

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verb (used without object)

1. to sail or travel in or on a scooter.

scooter ² American  

[skoo-ter] / ˈsku tər /

noun

plural

scooters,

plural

scooter

1. scoter.

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scooter British  

/ ˈskuːtə /

noun

1. a child's vehicle consisting of a low footboard on wheels, steered by handlebars. It is propelled by pushing one foot against the ground

2. See motor scooter

3. (in the US and Canada) another term for ice yacht

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Other Word Forms

• scooterist noun

Etymology

Origin of scooter

First recorded in 1800–10; scoot + -er ¹

Explanation

A scooter is a small wheeled vehicle. A child's scooter has two wheels and is powered by pushing one foot against the ground. The word scooter covers a wide variety of vehicles. There's the kick scooter that you can use for rolling down the sidewalk, and the motor scooter that's essentially a lightweight, gas-powered motorcycle. Mobility scooters are used by people who need a little extra help getting around, either in the form of a wheeled walker that can be kneeled on, or a motorized wheelchair. The word scooter was originally shorthand for motor scooter.

Example Sentences

But pedestrians were again venturing outdoors: a father walking with his daughter on a scooter, children playing with a ball, or locals sunning themselves in a park.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

In his clients’ lawsuit against the city, two plaintiffs say they were arrested for riding a scooter on the sidewalk.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

“I love Dubai. And I have no fear,” said Abdul Halim, a delivery scooter driver from Bangladesh, just after an incoming missile warning alert sounded on his phone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

But after 2018, dockless schemes - where the bicycle or scooter could be left virtually anywhere - became more popular.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

But from the standpoint of an observer moving with you—perhaps the scooter has a second seat—none of these effects occur.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• motorbike