pike

1 of 8

noun (1)

1
2
: a sharp point or spike
also : the tip of a spear
piked adjective

pike

2 of 8

noun (2)

dialectal, England
: a mountain or hill having a peaked summit
used especially in place names

pike

3 of 8

noun (3)

plural pike or pikes
1
a
: a large elongate long-snouted freshwater bony fish (Esox lucius) valued for food and sport and widely distributed in cooler parts of the northern hemisphere

called also northern, northern pike

b
: any of various fishes (family Esocidae) related to the pike: such as
(1)
(2)
2
: any of various fishes resembling the pike in appearance or habits

pike

4 of 8

noun (4)

: a heavy spear with a very long shaft used by infantry especially in Europe from the Middle Ages to the 18th century

pike

5 of 8

verb (1)

piked; piking

transitive verb

: to pierce, kill, or wound with a pike

pike

6 of 8

verb (2)

piked; piking

intransitive verb

1
: to leave abruptly
get lonely and sore, and pike outSinclair Lewis
2
: to make one's way
pike along

pike

7 of 8

noun (5)

1
2
: a railroad or railroad line or system

pike

8 of 8

noun (6)

: a body position (as in diving) in which the hips are bent, the knees are straight, and the hands touch the toes or clasp the legs behind or just above the knees
Phrases
down the pike
1
: in the course of events
the greatest boxer to come down the pike in years
2
: in the future
today's advances only hint at what's down the pike

Examples of pike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Don't let your hips drop or pike up; pull your belly button up toward your spine and push the floor away from you with your hands. Mallory Creveling, Health, 3 Sep. 2023 Young also began the competition strong, earning sevens on her first dive, a forward three 1/2 somersaults pike for a total score of 63. USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2021
Noun
The Sparrows Point resident reeled in a 24-inch chain pickerel, which is a freshwater fish part of the pike family, according to the department’s March 5 news release. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024 And so, at regular intervals, Zaslav took a cue from every other Hollywood CEO in history by expressing his high hopes for the hot titles coming down the pike this year. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Feb. 2024 Like bass, pike move into shallow water to spawn, putting them within range for shore fishermen. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Even people who've already gone through the egg or embryo freezing process are anxious and concerned about what could be coming down the pike and affect their family plans, acknowledges Dr. Ryniec. Maressa Brown, Parents, 21 Feb. 2024 Catching a pike should prove well worth the journey, though. Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The result is a deep, rhythmic gurgling sound that draws the attention of bass and pike from long distances. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 The Wa, notorious headhunters, liked to arrange long rows of skulls on pikes, and would sometimes kill outsiders on sight. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023 Shaw originally designed it to catch the largest bass in world, but anglers hunting musky, pike, stripers and lake trout quickly adopted it. Mark Modoski, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pike.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English pīc pickax

Noun (2)

Middle English, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect pīk pointed mountain

Noun (3)

Middle English, from pike entry 1

Noun (4)

Middle French pique, from piquer to prick, from Vulgar Latin *piccare, perhaps from Latin picus woodpecker — more at pie

Verb (2)

Middle English pyken (reflexive)

Noun (6)

perhaps from pike entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (4)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1787, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (5)

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (6)

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pike was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near pike

Cite this Entry

“Pike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pike. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pike

1 of 4 noun
1
2
: a sharp point or spike (as the tip of a spear)
piked adjective

pike

2 of 4 noun
plural pike or pikes
1
: a large freshwater fish with a long body and long snout that is valued for food and sport and is widely distributed in cool northern waters
2
: any of various fishes related to or like the pike

pike

3 of 4 noun
: a long wooden pole with a steel point once used as a weapon

pike

4 of 4 noun
Etymology

Noun

Old English pic "pick used for digging"

Noun

Middle English pike "a fish," from pic "a pick used for digging"

Noun

from early French pique "a long weapon of war," from piquer "to prick," probably derived from a Latin word picus "woodpecker" — related to pick entry 1

Noun

a shortened form of turnpike

Biographical Definition

Pike

biographical name

Zebulon Montgomery 1779–1813 American general and explorer

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