pillion

1 of 2

noun

pil·​lion ˈpil-yən How to pronounce pillion (audio)
1
a
: a light saddle for women consisting chiefly of a cushion
b
: a pad or cushion put on behind a man's saddle chiefly for a woman to ride on
2
chiefly British : a motorcycle or bicycle saddle for a passenger

pillion

2 of 2

adverb

chiefly British
: on or as if on a pillion
ride pillion

Examples of pillion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The aggressive fairing surrounding the round headlamp, coupled with your choice of four sporty striped paint jobs and the pillion seat cowl all make for a memorable appearance. Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2025 As such, pillion is also used as a label for a submissive. Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 19 May 2025 Built around 20-inch wheels, their center of gravity, and thus the weight of your cargo or pillion, is lower to the ground, making for a more stable ride. Chris Cona, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025 The killers were mostly masked or hooded gunmen riding pillion on motorcycles, sometimes in broad daylight. Sheila S. Coronel, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Scots Gaelic or Irish; Scottish Gaelic pillean, diminutive of peall covering, couch; Irish pillín, diminutive of peall covering, couch

First Known Use

Noun

1503, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pillion was in 1503

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pillion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pillion. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

pillion

noun
pil·​lion
ˈpil-yən
1
: a cushion or pad placed behind a saddle for an extra rider
2
: a saddle for a passenger on a motorcycle or bicycle
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!