Velocipedists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who ride or operate bicycles, often engaged in the sport or hobby associated with cycling
2. Enthusiasts and practitioners of cycling, often emphasizing the use of early bicycle models for recreation or sport
3. People dedicated to riding cycles, particularly in historical contexts when bicycles were becoming popular transportation modes

Etymology: Velocipedists are the riders of velocipedes, and the plural form simply counts more than one of them. The word is a plural of "velocipedist," which combines "velocipede" with the suffix "-ist," used to name a person who practises or follows something. So a velocipedist is someone who rides or works a velocipede, and velocipedists are a crowd of such riders. The "velocipede" half carries the more colourful history. It is built from the Latin "velox," meaning swift, and the Latin "pes," meaning foot, a combination that describes a fast-moving rider propelled by foot-power. Early machines of this kind, which were pushed along by the rider's feet against the ground, gave the name to the wider family of vehicles and to those who rode them. The "-ist" ending is what turns a machine into a person. Attaching it to a vehicle name is a straightforward pattern in English, producing words that name the person who operates or follows that thing.

Synonyms: cyclists, bikers, riders, bicycle riders, bike enthusiasts