Etymograph

English

bicycle

Bicycle comes from French cycle, from Late Latin cyclus ‘a circle’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷel-root as named
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷékʷlos‘circle, wheel’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kúklos‘circle, wheel’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκύκλος‘circle’
  5. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcyclus‘a circle’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentcycle
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentbicycle
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1882same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷel-root as named
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kʷékʷlos‘circle, wheel’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*kúklos‘circle, wheel’reconstructed
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκύκλος‘circle’
  5. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcyclus‘a circle’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentcycle
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentbicycle
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1882same form

Earliest quotation: 1882, Principle in Small Things: “In most English villages, as we are informed, bicycles…”

Equivalent to bi- + cycle

Proto-Indo-European *dwi- ‘two’

Proto-Italic *dwi- ‘two, bi-, di-’

English bi-

Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- ‘to turn’

…

Proto-Hellenic *kúklos ‘circle, wheel’

Ancient Greek κύκλος ‘circle, ring’

Late Latin cyclus

Middle English cicle ‘fixed length period of years’

English cycle

first attested First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847 (as stated in the etymology)

The story

First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847. "to mount someone to have sex with them"). A communal bicycle would have many riders.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-

pole, polar, columnist, loaf, bazaar, accolade, pulley, bucolic, 9 more

through Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos ‘circle, wheel’

wheel, chakra, 13 more

through Proto-Hellenic *kúklos ‘circle, wheel’

encyclical, 7 more

through Ancient Greek κύκλος ‘circle’

kike, cyclic, cyclamen, 7 more

through French cycle

tricycle, 2 more

Today it means

noun A vehicle that has two primary wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- / bicycle

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