spoke

1 of 3

ˈspōk 

past tense and archaic past participle of speak

spoke

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: any of the small radiating bars inserted in the hub of a wheel to support the rim

b

: something resembling the spoke of a wheel

2

: any of the projecting handles of a boat's steering wheel

spoke

3 of 3

verb

spoked; spoking

transitive verb

: to furnish with spokes

Examples of spoke in a Sentence

Noun

The stick got caught in the wheel's spokes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Shaped like a wheel, with concentric circles around silk spokes, the webs are sometimes adorned with decorations – called stabilimenta. —Regina G. Barber, NPR, 31 Oct. 2025

Extending from a central rock cairn, there are 28 spokes, which seem to represent the number of days in a lunar month. —Mike Bezemek, Outside, 29 Oct. 2025

For example, in vibrations generated at angles that were perpendicular to the web surface or perpendicular to the threads coming out from the web’s center (like the spokes on a wheel), the stabilimenta did not create noticeable changes on how the vibrations moved. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025

For each web, arrange 8 pretzel sticks like the spokes of a wheel with ends touching in center. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English spāca; akin to Old High German speihha spoke, Middle Dutch spike spike

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing spoke

• hub-and-spoke

Rhymes for spoke

• bloke
• boeck
• broke
• choke
• cloak
• cloke
• croak
• folk
• hoke
• joke
• moke
• oak

Kids Definition

spoke

1 of 2

ˈspōk 

past and archaic past participle of speak

spoke

2 of 2 noun

1

: one of the small bars extending from the hub of a wheel to support the rim

2

: something resembling the spoke of a wheel