handlebar
handlebar Lexical Profile
handlebar Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A curved steering bar attached to the front wheel of a bicycle, motorcycle, or similar vehicle, typically with a handgrip at each end.
"She gripped the handlebar tightly as she steered her mountain bike down the rocky, uneven trail."
A wide, thick mustache with ends that are typically waxed and curled upward, resembling the steering bar of a bicycle.
"The vintage bartender sported a perfectly waxed handlebar that gave him a distinctive, old-fashioned look."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the steering mechanism of a vehicle, the word is almost universally used in its plural form ('handlebars') to account for the two grips, though it consists of a single continuous bar.
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 19th century: formed as a compound of 'handle' and 'bar', originally coined to describe the steering component of the newly popular safety bicycle.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.