unicycle
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unicycle
Explanation
You might see a unicyle, or a bicycle-like vehicle with only one wheel, ridden by a clown at the circus. It's harder to ride a unicycle than a bicycle, since you have to balance on a single wheel. Acrobats and other performers often ride unicycles and sometimes even do tricks like balancing on a tightrope while perched on the seat of a unicycle. The Latin prefix uni gives you a clue about the meaning of this word, since it means "one." In unicycle, it's combined with "cycle," which comes from the Greek word kyklos, "circle or wheel."
Vocabulary lists containing unicycle
Power Prefix: uni-
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uni-
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: uni-
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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.
That’s when the King Charles Unicycle Troupe will play — while riding its favorite vehicles — at the basketball court in Clinton Playground in Crotona Park.
From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2021
I quickly convinced myself that these must be pictures of the legendary Unicycle Wranglers.
From BusinessWeek • Oct. 10, 2013
He was a standout member of a troupe of unicyclists that appeared in circuses and other events under such names as the Albuquerque Unicycle Club and the Unicycle Wranglers.
From BusinessWeek • Oct. 10, 2013
Many more are expected at the first New York City Unicycle Festival next weekend, a three-day celebration of all things one-wheeled including races, unicycle hockey and basketball — and lessons for novices.
From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2010
Unicycle, ū-ni-sī′kl, n. an acrobat's cycle having but one wheel.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
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.
