Word
peloton
Phoneticspelo·ton
Definitions
01cycling pack
n. the main group of riders in a bicycle race who ride close together to reduce wind resistance.
n. the main pack of riders in a road race who stay in a dense formation to benefit from drafting.
“The peloton moved quickly through the valley, catching up to the leaders before the final climb.”
“The peloton remained tightly bunched for most of the stage, with the sprinters' teams working hard at the front to prevent any significant breakaways.”
Usage
Usually used with the definite article 'the'.
Antonyms
02military unit
n. a small group of soldiers, similar to a platoon.
n. a small body of soldiers; a historical synonym for a platoon or section.
“The general ordered a small peloton of men to guard the bridge.”
“Historical accounts of the battle describe a peloton of infantrymen holding the ridge against overwhelming odds until reinforcements arrived.”
Archaic · Formal
Teaching tip
This sense is archaic; modern speakers only use 'peloton' in the context of cycling or the fitness brand.
Etymology
Borrowed from French peloton (“small ball (of thread, etc.), pellet; (cycling) group of riders formed during a cycling road race; (military) small group of soldiers, platoon”), from pelote (“small ball (of thread, etc.)”) (ultimately from Latin pila (“ball; ball game; globe, sphere”) (probably referring to a ball of hair), from pilus (“strand of hair”), of uncertain origin) + -on (augmentative suffix). Doublet of platoon.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/peloton