What does "mike" mean?
A microphone.
Mike
/ˈmaɪk/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A microphone.
- Grammar: mike is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: mic, microphone, address, bug.
- Useful contrasts: disconnect, ignore, loudspeaker.
- Usage evidence: "Yes, orange juice please," says Mike.
How to use "mike"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mike" 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 "mike" 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 "mike" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mike" 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 "mike" 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 "mic" 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 "mike", 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 A microphone. informal
"1970, Theodore Sturgeon and Edward H. Waldo, "The Pod in the Barrier", in A Touch of Strange, Ayer Publishing, →ISBN, page 28, "Then I say to the recording, for the record," I barked, right into the mike, […]"
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Mike from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet. alt-of
- 3 Clipping of microgram. abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, slang
"The beginner's dose may be anywhere from 100 to 250 mikes — micrograms, or millionths of a gram. Most hardened heads need 600 to 800 mikes, and some as many as 1,400 mikes, before they experience any sensation of getting off."
- 4 A radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter M.
- 5 An Irishman, especially a labourer. slang
"[…] very hard work, a holy day — & the boys went on to […] & took the Mikes, so I cd get no helper but Marty — had to set up Punch & Judy show — & when I proposed to decorate tree heard it was still in the woods! However John Rourke appeared & dug up a small silver, to be planted again […]"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 device for converting sound waves into electrical energy wordnet
- 7 A minute. slang
"We'll be there in one zero mikes [i.e. ten minutes]."
Verb
- 1 To microphone; to place one or more microphones (mikes) on.
"1994 September, Jim Gaines, transcribed in Alan di Perna, "Step Lively: Recalling the recording process of SRV’s IN STEP with album producer Jim Gaines", in Guitar World Magazine, reprinted in Guitar World Presents Stevie Ray Vaughan: Stevie Ray In His Own Words, Hal Leonard (1997), →ISBN, page 81, “And sometimes I’d just have to mike the room. You could run into some weird phasing problems with the individual mics because the speakers were all reacting differently.”"
- 2 To measure using a micrometer.
"1983, Tom S. Wilson, How to Rebuild Your Big-block Chevy, HPBooks, →ISBN, page 98, Measure Valve-Stem Diameter—To be positive about it you’ll have to mike the valve stem with a 1-in. micrometer as explained on pages 100 and 101."
Proper Noun
- 1 A diminutive of the male given name Michael. countable
"West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin was not impressed with the executive orders, calling them a “troubling example” of executive overreach that “could harm us for generations.”"
- 2 A diminutive of the female given name Michaela. countable
Antonyms
Example
""Yes, orange juice please," says Mike."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mike"?
Common synonyms include: mic, microphone, address, bug, check, mickey.
How do you use "mike" in a sentence?
"Yes, orange juice please," says Mike.
How do you pronounce "mike"?
Pronounced /ˈmaɪk/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Alteration of mic, clipping of microphone. Attested since 1927.
Etymology 2
From translingual Mike, representing the letter m, from English Mike.
Etymology 3
Shortened from Michael.