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Added 6 October 2026

peak

/piːk/ noun

In Latin: cacūmen Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about peak at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A point; the sharp end or top of anything that terminates in a point; as, the peak, or front, of a cap.
The highest value reached by some quantity in a time period.
The stock market reached a peak in September 1929.
The top, or one of the tops, of a hill, mountain, or range, ending in a point.
They reached the peak after 8 hours of climbing.

verb

To raise the point of (a gaff) closer to perpendicular.
To raise an oar out of the water, fitting the handle into a round slot or socket located at the bottom of the boat.
To exceed the maximum signal amplitude of (a piece of equipment), resulting in clipping of the signal.

adjective

At the greatest extent; maximum.
peak oil, Peak TV
Maximal, quintessential, archetypical, strictly with positive connotations; representing the culmination of its type.
Knowing obscure 19th-century slang is peak nerd.
Unlucky; unfortunate.
You didn't get a spot? That's peak.

verb

To become sick or wan.
To acquire sharpness of figure or features; hence, to look thin or sickly.
To pry; to peep slyly.

Origin

From earlier peake, peek, peke, from Middle English pek (in place names), itself an alteration of pike, pyke, pyk (“a sharp point, pike”), from Old English pīc, piic (“a pike, needle, pin, peak, pinnacle”), from Proto-West Germanic *pīk, from Proto-Germanic *pīkaz (“peak”). Cognate with Dutch piek (“pike, point, summit, peak”), Danish pik (“pike, peak”), Swedish pik (“pike, lance, point, peak”), Norwegian pik (“peak, summit”). More at pike.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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