What does "piker" mean?
A soldier armed with a pike, a pikeman.
Piker
/ˈpaɪkə(ɹ)/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A soldier armed with a pike, a pikeman.
- Grammar: piker is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: adventurer, arab, beach bum, beachcomber.
- Useful contrasts: generous person, philanthropist, proponent.
- Usage evidence: Panama is a piker compared to Fifth Avenue.
How to use "piker"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "piker" 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 "piker" 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 "piker" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "piker" 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 "piker" is acting as name, noun, 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 "adventurer" 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 "piker", 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 soldier armed with a pike, a pikeman. historical
"Upstairs in a waiting room there were pikers whose tunics echoed Baudricourt′s gold lion shield painted up and down the rafters."
- 2 One who bets or gambles only with small amounts of money.
"“[…] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […]”"
- 3 A stingy person; a cheapskate.
"“And if you′ve got to be a piker,” said Dolly, “don′t be ashamed to be a piker. We′re not spending a hundred dollars because we can afford it, but because you dreamt a dream.”"
- 4 An amateur.
- 5 A bullock living in the wild. (Also used attributively.) Australia
"‘There's always a few old piker bullocks find their way into this country. But mostly cattle don't come this far.’"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 One who refuses to go out with friends, or leaves a party early; a spoilsport or "chicken". Australia, New-Zealand, slang
"Mate, don't be a piker! Come to Angie′s birthday party tonight!"
- 7 One who pikes (quits or backs out of a promise). Australia, New-Zealand, slang
- 8 A male freshman at Cornell University. US, dated
- 9 A tramp; a vagrant.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Turkish.
"While watching the VOD later, xQc insinuated that Fortnite pro Bucke was an "NPC" who was only there to defend Tate and not give Piker a fair shot – and what resulted afterward has caused quite a stir in its own right."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Panama is a piker compared to Fifth Avenue."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "piker"?
Common synonyms include: adventurer, arab, beach bum, beachcomber, beggar, betting ring.
How do you use "piker" in a sentence?
Panama is a piker compared to Fifth Avenue.
How do you pronounce "piker"?
Pronounced /ˈpaɪkə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From pike + -er. In some senses, it has been linked etymologically to the word pikey as well as to Pike County in eastern Missouri https://web.archive.org/web/20051111194645/http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/p/p0300200.html. In the latter instance the term originally denoted poor immigrants to California.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Turkish Piker.