tandem

American  

[tan-duhm] / ˈtæn dəm /

adverb

1. one following or behind the other.

   to drive horses tandem.

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adjective

1. having animals, seats, parts, etc., arranged tandem or one behind another.

noun

1. a vehicle, as a truck, tractor, or trailer, in which a pair or pairs of axles are arranged in tandem.

2. tandem bicycle.

3. tandem trailer.

4. a team of horses harnessed one behind the other.

5. a two-wheeled carriage with a high driver's seat, drawn by two or more horses so harnessed.

6. any of various mechanisms having a tandem arrangement.

idioms

1. in tandem,

   1. in single file.

      They swam in tandem.

   2. in association or partnership.

tandem British  

/ ˈtændəm /

noun

1. a bicycle with two sets of pedals and two saddles, arranged one behind the other for two riders

2. a two-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses harnessed one behind the other

3. a team of two horses so harnessed

4. any arrangement of two things in which one is placed behind the other

5. together or in conjunction

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adjective

1. used as, used in, or routed through an intermediate automatic telephone exchange

   a tandem exchange

adverb

1. one behind the other

   to ride tandem

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.

Example Sentences

One vulnerability is that in recent years bonds and equities have tended to sell off in tandem.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Crypto transactions account for a large chunk of the three companies’ revenue, so their shares tend to move in tandem with Bitcoin.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

But where their previous schools saw disappointment, May saw a potentially unstoppable tandem that needed a change of scenery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

BBC Radio 1's Greg James has crossed the finish line of his Comic Relief tandem cycling challenge, raising more than £4m for charity.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Over his right shoulder a girl stared at me with one round, dark eye, her long hair draped around her face, flickering in tandem with the flames of the large fire.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• club
• company
• lineup
• organization
• party
• side
• squad
• unit