bike

Signification

Noun

1. Clipping of bicycle.
2. Clipping of motorbike.
3. (slang) Ellipsis of village bike.

Verb

1. To ride a bike.
2. To travel by bike.
3. To transport by bicycle.

Prononcé comme (IPA)

/baɪk/

Étymologie

From bicycle, by shortening, and possibly alteration. Attested from 1882.
One explanation for the pronunciation is that bicycle is parsed to bi(cy)c(le). An alternative explanation is that bicycle is shortened to bic(ycle), and the terminal [s] is converted to a [k] because there is an underlying underspecified [k]/[s] sound, which is softened to [s] in bicycle but retained as [k] in bike; compare the letter ‘c’ (used for [k]/[s]).