Definition of bike

The origin of the word "bike" is attributed to the 1860s, when French inventor Michaux-Perreaux added pedaling cranks to a Velocipede, a human-powered three-wheeled vehicle. "Michaud" was a nickname for the inventor, and the term "bike" is a shortened and anglicized form of "Michaud's velocipede." Initially, the term "velocipede" was used to describe various types of human-powered vehicles, including bicycles with multiple wheels and tricycles. By the late 1880s, the term "bike" became more widely used in the United States, particularly in the penny-farthing era. The term was often used interchangeably with "velocipede" until the early 20th century, when the more modern term "bicycle" became widely accepted. Despite its evolution, the term "bike" remains widely used today, often used informally to refer to bicycles in general.