scooter
1 Americannoun
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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.
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Also called electric scooter. Also called e-scooter. a similar vehicle with or without a seat, propelled by a motor powered by rechargeable batteries.
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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.
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(in the U.S. and Canada) a sailboat equipped with runners for use on ice.
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
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a child's vehicle consisting of a low footboard on wheels, steered by handlebars. It is propelled by pushing one foot against the ground
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See motor scooter
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(in the US and Canada) another term for ice yacht
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of scooter
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The launch of an affordable scooter under its EL platform from fiscal 3Q, along with a new plant, should help address the 100,000-rupee to 125,000-rupee segment of the market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
She said the teenager loved his scooter and it is an opportunity for a family day out whilst also raising awareness around knife crime.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
During the trial, Nancy Iskander testified that she began to cross Triunfo Canyon Road at Saddle Mountain Drive on inline skates with her youngest son, Zachary, next to her on his scooter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
He worked as a tutor and enjoyed video games, manga and riding his blue scooter.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2026
Imagine that you are approaching the speed of light on a motor scooter.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
A single journey through Beijing can require an autonomous vehicle to deal with buses, scooters, cyclists, pedestrians and unpredictable traffic.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
An icon for the Italian way of life, the Vespa is celebrating its 80th birthday with thousands of drivers expected to zip around Rome in the legendary scooters on Saturday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 27, 2026
New York police recently used bulldozers to crush more than 200 seized dirt bikes and scooters, calling them a menace to public safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
Lime also faces a seasonal risk: Put simply, scooters and bikes are a lot less popular when its snowing or raining, and more in demand when it’s warm and dry outside.
From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026
A group of sixth graders races past me on their scooters.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
