A pedal is a foot-operated lever, and as a verb means to work one — pedal a bicycle. To peddle is to sell goods, especially door to door, and figuratively to promote something dubious: peddling conspiracy theories. Feet take one D, selling takes two.
The core difference
A foot lever and a form of selling, one D apart.
- pedal — a foot lever; to operate one: pedal harder, the brake pedal.
- peddle — to sell or promote: peddling misinformation.
The roots make it easy
Pedal is from Latin pes, foot — the same root as pedestrian and pedicure. If it involves feet, one D. Peddle is a back-formation from peddler, and its origin is uncertain.
The confusable spellings
Peddler, pedlar and pedaller all exist: the first two mean a seller (the second chiefly British), and the third means someone pedalling. Soft-pedal, meaning to play down, takes one D — it is from the piano pedal.
Frequently asked questions
Is it soft-pedal or soft-peddle?
Soft-pedal, one D — the image is the piano pedal that softens the sound.
Which spelling means to sell?
Peddle, with two D.
How do I remember which is which?
Pedal comes from the Latin for foot, like pedestrian. Feet take one D.