Although peloton can name a group of racers in a marathon or other sporting event, that term most commonly refers to the main body of riders in a bicycle race. Cycling fans know the peloton as an intense and closely packed group of riders jockeying (and jostling) for position, intent on furthering the interest of their team. Etymologists know this emphasis on the group reflects peloton’s linguistic history.

 Peloton developed from the same French ancestor that gave English the more familiar word platoon. In fact, the English word platoon is a spinoff of the French word peloton, which literally meant “a ball” and figuratively meant “a small detachment.” Platoon has been part of our language since at least 1637, but peloton didn’t appear in English until 1951 and finally earned its spot in the dictionary in 2003