tricycle
Americannoun
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tricycles
plural
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a vehicle, especially one for children, having one large front wheel and two small rear wheels, propelled by foot pedals.
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a velocipede with three wheels propelled by pedals or hand levers.
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a three-wheeled motorcycle.
noun
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a three-wheeled cycle, esp one driven by pedals
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a three-wheeler for invalids
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of tricycle
From French, dating back to 1820–30; see origin at tri-, cycle
Explanation
For many kids, their first vehicle is a tricycle, or a small three-wheeled bike. Though a child's riding toy is what the word tricycle brings to mind, there are also adult-sized three-wheeled tricycles. A tricycle is safer and more stable than a bicycle with its two wheels, and some older or disabled people enjoy riding them. The original meaning of tricycle, in 1828, was "three-wheeled carriage," from the Greek treis, "three," and kyklos, "circle or wheel."
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:
“A child’s tricycle can physically be driven on an interstate, but we do not allow it because of the risks of using the technology in that environment,” they wrote.
From MarketWatch ● May 1, 2026
She and her husband usually take turns pushing their 18-month-old daughter in a tricycle along the pathway and get their steps in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
Romeo Cipriano has been driving a tricycle in Manila for four decades and says fuel prices are now the highest he has seen.
From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026
As compensation, Baird’s family gave her an adult tricycle that she occasionally rides through the streets wearing a neon purple helmet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 22, 2025
He pushed the pedals with his feet, rode the tricycle into a bush, got off, and left it there, mashing the rhododendron.
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
In Cuba, which is suffering energy shortages owing to a U.S. trade blockade, solar panels are popping up on houses, clinics and hospitals, while Chinese electric tricycles have become widely used.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
"Right now, tricycles are the kings of the road," Romano joked.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
Lectric eBikes XP Trike2 – Traditional tricycles are notoriously unwieldy — hard to transport, tough to store, nearly impossible to strap to a standard bike rack.
From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025
Even though some didn’t speak the same language, small kids pedaled, laughed and raced down the corridor on tricycles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
A platoon of large passenger tricycles wheels migrants from the bus stop to the riverbank, swerving along the main, rutted, dirt road to avoid pigs and trash burning in the middle of the street.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
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