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Synonyms

motorcycle

American  
[moh-ter-sahy-kuhl] / ˈmoʊ tərˌsaɪ kəl /

noun

  1. a motor vehicle similar to a bicycle but usually larger and heavier, chiefly for one rider but sometimes having two saddles or an attached sidecar for passengers.


verb (used without object)

motorcycled, motorcycling
  1. to ride on or operate a motorcycle.

motorcycle British  
/ ˈməʊtəˌsaɪkəl /

noun

  1. Also called: motorbike.  a two-wheeled vehicle, having a stronger frame than a bicycle, that is driven by a petrol engine, usually with a capacity of between 125 cc and 1000 cc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to ride on a motorcycle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • motorcyclist noun

Etymology

Origin of motorcycle

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; motor + cycle

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.

Some people rushed to grocery stores to stockpile goods, though motorcycles delivering takeout meals and groceries continued to zip around the city.

From The Wall Street Journal

But a Tuareg man in a black trench coat approached Sereno's team on a motorcycle, claiming to know where "big bones" lay.

From Barron's

Other residents lost more than just their cars, as their businesses were incinerated down to the cement, including a motorcycle store in the southern La Vena neighborhood.

From Barron's

Due to the fuel shortage, Diaz had to "park the motorcycle, park the car" and return to his former profession "to survive."

From Barron's

I don’t want to go too deep into the plot, which involves a supersonic weapon, stolen software, assassins on motorcycles and a common ticking-clock device, but it’s closer to “Moonraker,” say, than “Slow Horses.”

From Los Angeles Times