peloton

noun

pel·​o·​ton ˌpe-lə-ˈtän 

ˈpe-lə-ˌtän

: the main body of riders in a bicycle race

Did you know?

If you've ever watched the Tour de France on television, you've seen the peloton, the brightly colored pack of riders making up the central group. You may have also gained some inadvertent insight into the word itself, which as you may have guessed is French in origin. In French, "peloton" literally means "ball," but it is most often used with the meaning "group." It's frequently used in the bicycling context, just as in English, but it can also refer to a group in a marathon or other sporting event. French peloton can also mean "squad" or "platoon," and since we’ve told you that you probably won’t be too surprised to learn that it is also the source of our word platoon.

Examples of peloton in a Sentence

He broke away from the peloton and sprinted into the lead.

Recent Examples on the Web

Seven candidates have thrown their hats into the Olympic ring hoping to become president of what has been described as one of the world’s most exclusive clubs, but with three weeks to go before the vote, a true frontrunner has yet to emerge from the peloton. —Blythe Lawrence, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

In another incident, a car which had accidentally turned onto the course was forced to reverse in the face of the oncoming peloton. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025

What's 30 minutes to walk, run, or ride the peloton? —David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025

Essentially, like bikers in a peloton, the schooling fish could weather turbulence and save energy. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, ball — more at platoon

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for peloton

• multiphoton
• oaten

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!