What does "pannier" mean?
A large basket or bag fastened, usually in pairs, to the back of a bicycle or pack animal, or carried in pairs over the shoulders.
Pannier
/ˈpæn.i.ɚ/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A large basket or bag fastened, usually in pairs, to the back of a bicycle or pack animal, or carried in pairs over the shoulders.
- Grammar: pannier is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bag, basket, cuirass skirt, dress.
- Usage evidence: Carry bear spray and have it accessible on your body — not in your pack or pannier. Bring your own or rent from the Alaska Geographic Book Store near the Denali Visitor Center. You can also buy bear spray in the Nenana River Canyon commercial area.
How to use "pannier"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pannier" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pannier" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pannier" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pannier" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pannier" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bag" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pannier", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large basket or bag fastened, usually in pairs, to the back of a bicycle or pack animal, or carried in pairs over the shoulders.
"Until 1785 the slates were conveyed from the quarries to the port in panniers on the backs of horses, but in that year Lord Penrhyn built a good road from the quarry to the village of Llandegai (on the Chester and Holyhead road) and also continued it in the opposite direction a further nine miles to Capel Curig; […]."
- 2 set of small hoops used to add fullness over the hips wordnet
- 3 A decorative basket for the display of flowers or fruits.
- 4 a large basket (usually one of a pair) carried by a beast of burden or on by a person wordnet
- 5 One of a pair of hoops used to expand the volume of a woman's skirt to either side. historical
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 either of a pair of bags or boxes hung over the rear wheel of a vehicle (as a bicycle) wordnet
- 7 A breadbasket.
- 8 A piece of basketwork for protecting archers, or, filled with gravel or sand, for forming and protecting embankments, etc. historical
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Carry bear spray and have it accessible on your body — not in your pack or pannier. Bring your own or rent from the Alaska Geographic Book Store near the Denali Visitor Center. You can also buy bear spray in the Nenana River Canyon commercial area."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pannier"?
Common synonyms include: bag, basket, cuirass skirt, dress, hamper, hip guard.
How do you use "pannier" in a sentence?
Carry bear spray and have it accessible on your body — not in your pack or pannier. Bring your own or rent from the Alaska Geographic Book Store near the Denali Visitor Center. You can also buy bear spray in the Nenana River Canyon commercial area.
How do you pronounce "pannier"?
Pronounced /ˈpæn.i.ɚ/.
Etymology
From Middle English panere, panȝere, panyere, from Old French panier, paniere, from Latin pānārium (“a bread basket”), from pānis (“bread”). Doublet of panary.