World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesPedal
/ˈpɛd.əl/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A foot-operated lever or mechanism used to control, propel, or alter the operation of a device, bicycle, vehicle, or musical instrument.
"She pressed down firmly on the accelerator pedal to merge onto the highway."
- 1
To operate or propel a bicycle, vehicle, or mechanism by working its foot levers.
"He had to pedal vigorously to climb the steep hill."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'pedalis' ('belonging to the foot'), stemming from the classical noun 'pes' (genitive 'pedis'), meaning 'foot'. It entered Middle French as 'pédale' in the 16th century to denote foot-operated organ keys. By the late 18th century, the term was integrated into English and subsequently applied to foot-operated levers on bicycles, machinery, and motor vehicles.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Pedal"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Pedal" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
pédale
Transliteration: pay-dal
"Il a appuyé doucement sur la pédale de frein."
Pedal
Transliteration: peh-DAHL
"Er trat kräftig in die Pedale des Fahrrads."
pedale
Transliteration: peh-DAH-leh
"Ha premuto il pedale dell'acceleratore per andare più veloce."
pedal
Transliteration: peh-DAHL
"Pisa el pedal del freno con cuidado."
pedal
Transliteration: peh-DOW
"Ele tirou o pé do pedal do freio."
पैडल
Transliteration: paidal
"उसने साइकिल के पैडल को तेजी से घुमाया।"
踏板
Transliteration: tàbǎn
"他用力踩着自行车的踏板。"
페달
Transliteration: pedal
"그는 자전거 페달을 힘껏 밟았다."
ペダル
Transliteration: pedaru
"彼は自転車のペダルを強く漕いだ。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
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Linguistic Origins & Word Stories
View all stories →Why are the days of the week named after Norse gods?
The English days of the week are named after Norse and Anglo-Saxon gods through a process called interpretatio romana, where Germanic tribes adapted the Roman naming system by substituting their own equivalent deities for Roman gods.
What Does It Mean When a Number Is 'Reduced by a Factor of 2'?
When a number is reduced by a factor of 2, it means it is divided by 2, resulting in half of its original value. In mathematical and psychological terms, scaling down by a factor of $n$ corresponds to division by $n$.