pedal

verb · noun · adjective

Simple meaning

To operate a bicycle.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

pehduhl

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈpɛdəl

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

verb

Operate the pedals on a keyboard instrument
intransitive
To operate a bicycle.
Ride a bicycle
To operate a pedal attached to a wheel in a continuous circular motion.

noun

A lever operated by one's foot that is used to control or power a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano.
music
An effects unit, especially one designed to be activated by being stepped on.

adjective

Of or relating to the foot.
Of or relating to the feet
“The word for a pedal extremity is `foot'”

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
Frequency: Moderately Common
Typical Use: Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.

More ways to use pedal

“The word for a pedal extremity is `foot'”adjective

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

brake pedalfoot pedalpedal pointaccelerator pedalpedal steelpedal organtonic pedalpedal edema

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

pedal extremitynounCompound term
The extremity of the limb in vertebrates.
pedal pointnounCompound term
A sustained bass note.
pedal pushersnounCompound term
Snug trousers ending at the calves.
foot pedalnounCompound term
A lever that is operated with the foot.
gas pedalnounCompound term
A pedal that controls the throttle valve.
loud pedalnounCompound term
A pedal on a piano that lifts the dampers from the strings and so allows them to continue vibrating.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: lever operated by one's foot that is used to control

treadle

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.