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Added 10 October 2026

tandem

/ˈtændəm/ noun

Latin root: tandem Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tandem at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An arrangement of two or more objects or persons one behind another.
A bicycle with two sets of pedals and two seats.

adverb

One behind the other.
ride tandem on a bicycle built for two

Origin

PIE word *téh₂m The noun is borrowed from Latin tandem (“of time: at last, at length, finally”), applied humorously in English to two horses harnessed “at length” (that is, in a single line) instead of side-by-side. Tandem is derived from tam (“so, to such an extent”) + -dem (demonstrative suffix). The adjective, adverb, and verb are derived from the noun.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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