Pedelecs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of bicycle equipped with an electric motor that assists the rider's pedaling effort to increase speed or reduce exertion while cycling; commonly used for commuting or leisure riding
2. A pedal-assisted two-wheeled vehicle where an integrated motor boosts the cyclist's power in response to pedaling, improving efficiency and allowing easier travel across varied terrains
3. A cycling machine combining human pedaling with an electric motor that supplements propulsion, designed to facilitate longer distances or challenging routes with less fatigue for the rider

Etymology: "Pedelecs" is the plural of "pedelec", a term that comes from German, where "Pedelec" is a shortening of "pedal electric". The name describes the bicycle's function in two words: the rider pedals as on any bicycle, while an electric motor supplies extra power to assist. The German coinage packs that whole mechanism into a single compact noun. The word is a blend-style clipping rather than a traditional compound, so its parts are easy to read: "pedal" from the rider's foot-operated drive, and "electric" from the battery-powered motor. Shortening such a phrase into one word is a common German habit, and it is why the English term looks unlike any ordinary bicycle vocabulary. The plural simply follows the English pattern of adding "-s".

Synonyms: electric bikes, e-bikes

Antonyms: regular bikes, manual bikes