bike
/ˈbaɪk/
nounverb
Core
1.n.a motor vehicle with two wheels and a strong frame
2.n.a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
3.v.ride a bicycle
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bike and cycle share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. bike means “a motor vehicle with two wheels and a strong frame”. cycle means “an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs”. bike is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbaɪk/
1.n.a motor vehicle with two wheels and a strong frame
2.n.a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
3.v.ride a bicycle
/ˈsaɪkəl/
1.n.an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs
“the never-ending cycle of the seasons”
2.n.a series of poems or songs on the same theme
“Schubert's song cycles”
3.n.a periodically repeated sequence of events
“a cycle of reprisal and retaliation”
| bike | cycle | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbaɪk/ | /ˈsaɪkəl/ |
| Said | bahyk | SAHY-kuhl |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 3 | 11 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | motorcycle | rhythm, round |
Full entry for bike · Full entry for cycle · More comparisons