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Penny-farthing: meaning, definitions and examples

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penny-farthing

[ ˈpeni-ˈfɑːrðɪŋ ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

old-fashioned bicycle

A penny-farthing is an old-fashioned type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel. It was popular in the 19th century.

Synonyms

high wheel bicycle, ordinary bicycle.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
penny-farthing	This term is used to describe an old-fashioned bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel, popular in the late 19th century. It often has a nostalgic or historical connotation. The museum had a penny-farthing on display to show visitors what bicycles looked like in the past. He rode a penny-farthing in the vintage bicycle parade.
high wheel bicycle	This term is interchangeable with 'penny-farthing' and is also used to describe an old-fashioned bicycle with a large front wheel. It is typically used in historical contexts or when discussing the evolution of bicycles. High wheel bicycles were some of the first bicycles ever made. She learned about high wheel bicycles during her history lesson on the Industrial Revolution.
ordinary bicycle	While technically referring to the same type of bicycle as a 'penny-farthing,' this term can be misleading because it may also be interpreted as any common bicycle. When used to refer to a penny-farthing, it is mostly seen in historical texts. In modern usage, 'ordinary bicycle' usually means a regular, everyday bicycle. In Victorian times, the 'ordinary bicycle' was a common sight on the streets. He asked if he could borrow her ordinary bicycle to run some errands.

Word

Description / Examples

penny-farthing

This term is used to describe an old-fashioned bicycle with a large front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel, popular in the late 19th century. It often has a nostalgic or historical connotation.

The museum had a penny-farthing on display to show visitors what bicycles looked like in the past.
He rode a penny-farthing in the vintage bicycle parade.

high wheel bicycle

This term is interchangeable with 'penny-farthing' and is also used to describe an old-fashioned bicycle with a large front wheel. It is typically used in historical contexts or when discussing the evolution of bicycles.

High wheel bicycles were some of the first bicycles ever made.
She learned about high wheel bicycles during her history lesson on the Industrial Revolution.

ordinary bicycle

While technically referring to the same type of bicycle as a 'penny-farthing,' this term can be misleading because it may also be interpreted as any common bicycle. When used to refer to a penny-farthing, it is mostly seen in historical texts. In modern usage, 'ordinary bicycle' usually means a regular, everyday bicycle.

In Victorian times, the 'ordinary bicycle' was a common sight on the streets.
He asked if he could borrow her ordinary bicycle to run some errands.

Examples of usage

The penny-farthing was a common sight on the streets of London in the 1870s.
He rode a penny-farthing to the park for a leisurely afternoon ride.
The design of the penny-farthing made it challenging to mount and dismount.
The penny-farthing was eventually replaced by bicycles with equal-sized wheels.
Many enthusiasts still enjoy riding and collecting penny-farthings.

Translations

Translations of the word "penny-farthing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 bicicleta de roda alta

🇮🇳 पैनी-फार्थिंग

🇩🇪 Hochrad

🇮🇩 sepeda tinggi

🇺🇦 велосипед з великим переднім колесом

🇵🇱 welocyped z dużym przednim kołem

🇯🇵 ペニー・ファージング

🇫🇷 grand bi

🇪🇸 bicicleta de rueda alta

🇹🇷 yüksek tekerlekli bisiklet

🇰🇷 페니파딩

🇸🇦 دراجة عالية العجلة

🇨🇿 vysoké kolo

🇸🇰 vysoký bicykel

🇨🇳 高轮自行车

🇸🇮 visoko kolo

🇮🇸 háhjól

🇰🇿 биік дөңгелекті велосипед

🇬🇪 მაღალბორბლიანი ველოსიპედი

🇦🇿 yüksək təkərli velosiped

🇲🇽 bicicleta de rueda alta

Etymology

The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel bicycle, was a popular mode of transportation in the late 19th century. It was named after the British coins, the penny and the farthing, because of the size difference between the two wheels. The large front wheel provided more speed, but also posed safety risks due to its height. The penny-farthing gradually fell out of favor as safer and more practical bicycle designs emerged. Today, the penny-farthing is primarily used for historical reenactments and as a nostalgic symbol of the past.