tandem
Americanadverb
adjective
noun
-
tandems
plural
-
a vehicle, as a truck, tractor, or trailer, in which a pair or pairs of axles are arranged in tandem.
-
a team of horses harnessed one behind the other.
-
a two-wheeled carriage with a high driver's seat, drawn by two or more horses so harnessed.
-
any of various mechanisms having a tandem arrangement.
idioms
noun
-
a bicycle with two sets of pedals and two saddles, arranged one behind the other for two riders
-
a two-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses harnessed one behind the other
-
a team of two horses so harnessed
-
any arrangement of two things in which one is placed behind the other
-
together or in conjunction
adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tandem
First recorded in 1735–45; special use (originally facetious) of Latin tandem “at length, finally,” equivalent to tam “so far” + -dem, demonstrative suffix
Explanation
Tandem describes an arrangement where people or animals are in formation, one behind the other. Couples attached at the hip sometimes like to ride tandem bicycles, which allow two people to pedal the same bike. How cute. In 1785, tandem first came into existence as a noun meaning “carriage pulled by horses harnessed one behind the other.” About a hundred years later, people started to use tandem to refer to bicycles with two seats. This type of bicycle has two sets of pedals and two seats, but only one set of wheels. To transform tandem into an adverb, just stick in in front of it. "In tandem" can just mean "together" — like two departments working in tandem on a project.
Vocabulary lists containing tandem
What If It's Us
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week In Culture: August 1–6, 2020
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Norris was in a position to make a legitimate move, but they came together, pirouetted in tandem, Piastri into the barriers and out of the race and Norris slipping down to eighth.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
There are seagull puppets, a tandem bicycle, an oil stain in the shape of a rabbit, a meteorite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
At the same time, semiconductors and software names have been trending higher in tandem recently.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
The yield on the 10-year Treasury touched a fresh 24-year high, as a global bond rout and AI-investing boom ripple through markets in tandem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
We will learn to forgive ourselves in tandem.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
But on Saturday, the Trojans improved front will be tested by one of the better running back tandems in college football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2025
He and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the league in receiving yards, look like they’ll be one of the game’s most formidable tandems for years to come.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
As well as standard racing bikes with modifications where required and tandems, the Para-cycling road programme also features handcycling and trike races.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2024
"We are taking perovskites to the finish line. If tandems work out well, they certainly have the potential to dominate the market and become the next generation of solar cells," he said.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 22, 2024
He is the genius of the fox terrier and the bulldog pipe; he rides to the hounds, and is apt in evading the vice-chancellor's regulations as to tandems and four-in-hands.
From An American at Oxford by John Corbin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
