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Added 9 October 2026

spike

/spaɪk/ noun

In Latin: clavus Wiktionary

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

A sort of very large nail.
A piece of pointed metal etc. set with points upward or outward.
The trap was lined with spikes.
Anything resembling such a nail in shape.

verb

To fasten with spikes, or long, large nails.
to spike down planks
To set or furnish with spikes.
To embed nails into (a tree) so that any attempt to cut it down will damage equipment or injure people.

Origin

From Middle English spike, spyke, spik, from Old Norse spík (“spike, sprig”), from Proto-Germanic *spīkō (“stick, splinter, point”), from Proto-Indo-European *spey- (“to be pointed; sharp point, stick”). Cognate with Icelandic spík (“spike”), Swedish spik (“spike, nail”), Dutch spijker (“nail”), Old English spīcing (“spike”), and Latin spīca (“ear of corn”), which may have influenced some senses.

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

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