Chainrings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Toothed metal wheels mounted at the pedal crank of a bicycle that drive the chain to turn the rear wheel
2. The circular gears fixed to the pedal assembly of a bicycle, around which the drive chain runs to transmit power
3. Sprockets attached near the pedals of a bicycle that engage the chain and propel the machine forward when pedaled

Etymology: "Chainrings" is the plural of "chainring", a compound of "chain" and "ring". On a bicycle, the chainring is the toothed wheel attached to the pedal crank, and the chain runs around it to transfer the rider's pedalling force to the rear wheel. A bicycle with more than one such wheel has several chainrings, which is why the plural is the form most often heard. The two parts of the compound are plain English words used in their ordinary senses: a chain of linked metal links, and a ring, a circular band or wheel. Joined together, they name a ring that the chain runs around, so the word describes the mechanism almost literally.