What does pedicab mean?
A pedicab is a small, three-wheeled passenger vehicle propelled by pedals or hand-operated controls. It is commonly used as a taxi in cities and tourist areas, especially in South Asia and parts of East Asia. Unlike a conventional car, a pedicab is compact, quiet, and capable of moving through narrow streets or crowded lanes where motor traffic is difficult. The driver may sit at the front while one or more passengers sit behind, or the vehicle may have a sidecar arrangement. In everyday use, the word often evokes inexpensive local transportation rather than a recreational ride, although pedicab tours are popular with visitors. The name combines the idea of propulsion by the feet with “cab,” reflecting the vehicle’s pedal-driven design and taxi-like role.
nounA small, three-wheeled passenger vehicle with one or two seats and pedals or hand-operated controls, usually driven by a person. Pedicabs are used as taxis in cities and tourist areas, particularly in South Asia.
- A three-wheeled passenger vehicle propelled by pedals or hand-operated controls, commonly used as a taxi.
"We took a pedicab through the narrow streets of the old city."
"The hotel arranged a pedicab for our journey to the market."
"A pedicab driver waited outside the station with his vehicle."
The plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several pedicabs were lined up beside the railway station."
In cities where traffic moves slowly, the humble pedicab can travel through lanes that cars cannot reach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pedicab come from?
The English word “pedicab” combines “pedal,” relating to the feet or to foot propulsion, with “cab,” meaning a passenger carriage. Its formation reflects the vehicle’s pedal-powered design. The related root in “pedal,” “pedestrian,” and “podiatry” comes from Latin, in which pēs means “foot.”
How pedicab is actually used
The term is most common in South Asia and parts of East Asia. In British usage, it specifically denotes a three-wheeled vehicle; elsewhere, the boundaries between pedicab and rickshaw can vary.
Easily confused with pedicab
A rickshaw generally denotes a small passenger vehicle with two wheels, although the term is sometimes used more broadly, while a pedicab is specifically a three-wheeled vehicle.
A cycle rickshaw is a pedal-powered passenger vehicle with a sidecar, whereas a pedicab is typically a compact three-wheeled vehicle in which the driver pedals.