What does "dike" mean?
Alternative spelling of dyke: ditch; embankment; waterway; etc.
Dike
/daɪk/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative spelling of dyke: ditch; embankment; waterway; etc.
- Grammar: dike is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: dyke, abatis, abysm, abyss.
- Useful contrasts: Adikia, breach, dune.
- Usage evidence: Twelve boxers chase Victor across the big Sylter dike.
How to use "dike"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dike" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dike" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dike" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dike" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dike" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dyke" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dike", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative spelling of dyke: ditch; embankment; waterway; etc. US, alt-of, alternative
"In 1574, the duke of Alva laid siege to Leiden to gain control of Holland's most beautiful and prosperous city. To relieve the siege, William of Orange and his followers opened the city's protective dikes to flush out—literally—the surrounding Spanish forces."
- 2 Alternative form of deck: (US dialect slang, obsolete) A well-dressed man. alt-of, alternative
- 3 a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea wordnet
- 4 Formalwear or other fashionable dress. US, dialectal, obsolete, slang
- 5 (slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Alternative form of dyke, Alternative form of deck: (slang, usually derogatory) a masculine woman; a lesbian. alt-of, alternative
Verb
- 1 Alternative spelling of dyke: to dig a ditch; to raise an earthwork; etc. US, alt-of, alternative
"Lakeside water-filtration plants, an 11,000-acre diked airport east of 55th Street, slash-and-bulldoze highway projects through Jackson and Lincoln parks—these and many another grandiose project leapt from the sketchbooks of city planners."
- 2 To be well dressed. US, dialectal, obsolete, slang
- 3 enclose with a dike wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A topographic surname from Middle English for someone living near a dike.
- 2 The goddess/personification of justice, order and judgement and one of the Horae. She is a daughter of Zeus and Themis, and her sisters are Eirene and Eunomia. Her Roman counterpart is Justitia. Greek
- 3 99 Dike, a main belt asteroid.
- 4 justice, order and judgement. poetic
Example
"Twelve boxers chase Victor across the big Sylter dike."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dike"?
Common synonyms include: dyke, abatis, abysm, abyss, advanced work, alley.
How do you use "dike" in a sentence?
Twelve boxers chase Victor across the big Sylter dike.
How do you pronounce "dike"?
Pronounced /daɪk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Of uncertain etymology, first attested in mid-19th century Virginia. Possibly a variant of deck and deck out or influenced by them.
Etymology 2
From Middle English (see the noun dike). Compare Dyke.
Etymology 3
From Ancient Greek Δίκη (Díkē, literally “Justice; Order; Judgement”).