Adjacent Words

Pillion definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PILLION, n. pil'yun, [L. pilus, hair, or from stuffing. See Pillow.]
1. A cushion for a woman to ride on behind a person on horseback.
2. A pad; a pannel; a low saddle.
3. The pad of a saddle that rests on the horse's back.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a seat behind the rider of a horse or motorbike etc.

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Scottish Gaelic or Irish; Scottish Gaelic pillean, diminutive of peall covering, couch; Irish pillín, diminutive of peall covering, couch Date: 1503 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 II. adverb Date: 1926 chiefly British on or as if on a pillion <ride pillion>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 seating for a passenger behind a motor cyclist. 2 hist. a a woman's light saddle. b a cushion attached to the back of a saddle for a usu. female passenger. Phrases and idioms: ride pillion travel seated behind a motor cyclist etc. Etymology: Gael. pillean, pillin dimin. of pell cushion f. L pellis skin

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pillion Pil"lion, n. [Ir. pillin, pilliun (akin to Gael. pillean, pillin), fr. Ir. & Gael. pill, peall, a skin or hide, prob. fr. L. pellis. See Pell, n., Fell skin.] A panel or cushion saddle; the under pad or cushion of saddle; esp., a pad or cushion put on behind a man's saddle, on which a woman may ride. His [a soldier's] shank pillion without stirrups. --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pillions) 1. If someone rides pillion on a motorcycle or bicycle, they sit behind the person who is controlling it. She rode pillion on her son's motor bike. ADV: ADV after v 2. On a motorcycle, the pillion is the seat or part behind the rider. As a learner rider you must not carry a pillion passenger. N-COUNT: oft N n