pillion
/ˈpɪljən
/noun
1A seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist.The accident last night was one of four serious collisions in North Yorkshire over the Bank Holiday weekend, which left three motorcyclists dead and a pillion passenger seriously injured....
- Motorcyclists and pillion passengers must wear helmets at all times and motorists must wear safety belts.
- A motorcycle pillion passenger was killed and its rider seriously injured when their machine was involved in an accident on the A64.
1.1 historical A woman’s light saddle.
1.2 historical A cushion attached to the back of a saddle, on which a second person may ride.
Phrases
ride pillion
Origin
Late 15th century (denoting a light saddle): from Scottish Gaelic pillean, Irish pillín 'small cushion', diminutive of pell, from Latin pellis 'skin'.
The first people to ride pillion on horses were not necessarily sharing their mount. In the 15th century a pillion was a light saddle, especially one used by women. Pillion is one of the earliest words to have entered English from Gaelic, coming from Scottish Gaelic pillean and Irish pillín ‘small cushion’, the root of which is Latin pellis ‘skin’, the source also of pelt (Middle English). The sense ‘seat behind a motorcyclist’ dates from the late 19th century