Pillion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪljən/

Definitions

1. A seat attached behind the main seat on a bicycle or motorcycle allows a passenger to ride
2. An accessory seat situated behind the primary seat on a two-wheeled vehicle designed for an extra rider
3. The rear seat on a motorcycle or bicycle meant for a second person to travel alongside the driver

Etymology: The seat behind a motorcycle rider sounds like it should have a grander pedigree than a Scottish blanket. Its name comes from Scottish Gaelic "pillean," meaning "little rug," a diminutive of a word for a cloth or covering laid over a horse's back. Behind that lies Latin "pellis," "animal skin or pelt," the same root that gave English words like "pelt" and "pelage." The image makes sense once you picture the arrangement. Before motorcycles, a pillion was a pad strapped behind the saddle so a second rider could sit on a horse, and the cushion was essentially a small rug. When the motorcycle appeared, the name carried over to the passenger seat, which sits on the rear in the same way. The word thus moved from the horse's back to the machine, keeping its original picture of a covering laid across the rear of a mount.

Synonyms: passenger seat, back seat