penny-farthing
[ pen-ee-fahr-th ing ]
/ ˈpɛn iˌfɑr ðɪŋ /
noun British.
a high bicycle of an early type, with one large wheel in front and one small wheel behind.
Also called
ordinary.
Origin of penny-farthing
from a comparison of the size difference between the two bicycle wheels to the size difference between an old British penny and a farthing
Words nearby penny-farthing
penny whistle,
penny wise and pound foolish,
penny-a-liner,
penny-ante,
penny-dreadful,
penny-farthing,
penny-pinching,
penny-wise,
pennyboy,
pennycress,
pennyroyal
British Dictionary definitions for penny-farthing
penny-farthing
noun
British
an early type of bicycle with a large front wheel and a small rear wheel, the pedals being attached to the front wheel
US name: ordinary
Word Origin for penny-farthing
C20: so called because of the similarity between the relative sizes of the wheels and the relative sizes of the (old) penny and farthing coins