2
: a sharp point or spike
also
: the tip of a spear
dialectal, England
: a mountain or hill having a peaked summit
—used especially in place names
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
2
: any of various fishes resembling the pike in appearance or habits
: a heavy spear with a very long shaft used by infantry especially in Europe from the Middle Ages to the 18th century
piked; piking
1
: to leave abruptly
get lonely and sore, and pike out—
Sinclair Lewis
Sinclair Lewis2
: to make one's way
pike along
: 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
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- arterial
- artery
- avenue
- boulevard
- carriageway [British]
- drag
- drive
- expressway
- freeway
- high road
- highway
- pass
- road
- roadway
- route
- row
- street
- thoroughfare
- thruway
- trace
- turnpike
- way
Noun (2)
Noun (3)
Verb (2)
- bail
- bail out
- begone
- book [slang]
- bug off
- bug out
- bugger off [British slang]
- buzz (off)
- clear off [chiefly British]
- clear out
- cut out
- depart
- dig out
- exit
- get
- get off
- go
- go off
- move
- pack (up or off)
- part
- peel off
- pull out
- push off
- push on
- quit
- run along
- sally (forth)
- scarper [British]
- shove (off)
- step (along)
- take off
- vamoose
- walk out
Examples of pike in a Sentence
Noun (1)
you can take the pike all the way to the city
Noun (2)
a foot soldier armed with a pike
Noun (3)
the spear's metal pike was designed to cause a gaping wound when it was pulled out of the victim
Verb (2)
early next morning the aloof guest just piked out without saying a word
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Mobs there had paraded through the streets with pikes on top of which were the heads of the first government officials to die lawlessly, ruthlessly, and interminably in that country's revolution.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Mallory Creveling, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pike 
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Netflix presented its first international showcase yesterday with a look at what is coming down down the pike.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2024
Mobs there had paraded through the streets with pikes on top of which were the heads of the first government officials to die lawlessly, ruthlessly, and interminably in that country's revolution.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for pike
Articles Related to pike
Dictionary Entries Near pike
Cite this Entry
“Pike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pike. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pike
1 of 4 noun2
: a sharp point or spike (as the tip of a spear)
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
: turnpike
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
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