moped

American

[moh-ped] / ˈmoʊˌpɛd /

noun

a motorized bicycle that has pedals in addition to a low-powered gasoline engine designed for low-speed operation.

moped British

/ ˈməʊpɛd /

noun

a light motorcycle, not over 50cc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of moped

1955–60; < German, ultimately < Swedish ( trampcykel med ) mo ( tor och ) ped ( aler ) pedal cycle with engine and pedals

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The court heard how Teeton was was walking back from his barracks at 17:50 BST when Esan asked him if he could use his phone because his moped had broken down.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

Pulling up his laptop, Dallas shows off the art for a single: On a majestic winding Italian road, ian perches pensively on a white moped, in an all-white yacht outfit, barefoot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

Video footage captured by a visitor at the park showed Mr Alekari's motorcycle being ridden away, flanked by two moped scooters.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2025

In the last 24 hours, they have chased a “tag team duo” on a moped off a client’s property.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2025

Now Priscilla Willis hopped off her moped and leaned it against the window of Hank’s Hardware.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023