spike

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural spikes
1
: a very large nail
2
a
: one of a row of pointed irons placed (as on the top of a wall) to prevent passage
b(1)
: one of several metal projections set in the sole and heel of a shoe to improve traction
(2)
spikes plural : a pair of shoes having spikes attached to the soles or soles and heels
They met when after a round of golf he came into the restaurant at which she worked—still wearing his golf spikes.John Strege
3
: something resembling a spike: such as
a
: a young mackerel not over six inches (15.2 centimeters) long
b
: an unbranched antler of a young deer
c
: spike protein
Without its spikes, the pathogen can't get into human cells.Katherine J. Wu
4
spikes plural : spike heel sense 2
5
: the act or an instance of spiking (as in volleyball)
6
a
: a pointed element in a graph or tracing
b
: an unusually high and sharply defined maximum (as of amplitude in a wave train)
7
8
: a momentary sharp increase and fall in electric potential
9
: an abrupt sharp increase (as in prices or rates)
a spike in unemployment
a spike in the number of infections
spikelike adjective

spike

2 of 3

verb

spiked; spiking

transitive verb

1
: to fasten or furnish with spikes
2
a
: to disable (a muzzle-loading cannon) temporarily by driving a spike into the vent
b
: to suppress or block completely
spiked the rumor
3
a
: to pierce or impale with or on a spike
b
: to reject (a story) for publication or broadcast for editorial reasons
4
a
: to add an alcoholic beverage to (a drink)
spiked the punch
b
: to add a foreign substance to
spike the coffee with tranquilizers
c
: to add something highly reactive (such as a radioactive tracer) to
d
: to add vitality, zest, or spice to : liven
spiked the speech with humor
spike the broth with peppers
5
: to drive (something, such as a volleyball) sharply downward with a hard blow
also : to throw down sharply
spiked the ball in the end zone
6
: to undergo a sudden sharp increase in (temperature or fever)
the patient spiked a fever of 103°

intransitive verb

: to increase sharply
battery sales spiked after the storm
spiker noun

spike

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: an ear of grain
2
: an elongated inflorescence similar to a raceme but having the flowers sessile on the main axis see inflorescence illustration

Examples of spike in a Sentence

Verb Someone spiked the punch at the party. The medication caused his blood pressure to spike. She spiked the ball and scored the winning point. After he scored a touchdown he spiked the ball in the end zone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
As readers are taking in all different genres, one area seeing a spike is readers seeking out the books behind their favorite movies and TV shows like Wicked, The House of the Dragon and more. Rachel McRady, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024 In addition to 'brain rot,' the following five words were found by Oxford University Press experts to have gained a spike in usage and prominence this year. Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
This oil is also spiked with rice bran oil, which is rich in skin-smoothing antioxidants. Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 6 Dec. 2024 Key Background After the July jobs report briefly sent a panic through Wall Street as unemployment unexpectedly spiked to 4.3%, triggering one recession indicator, concerns about the health of the labor market have abated in recent months. Derek Saul, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spike 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, probably from Old Norse spīk splinter & spīkr spike; akin to Middle Dutch spiker spike — more at spoke

Noun (2)

Middle English spik, from Latin spica — more at spine

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1624, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spike was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near spike

Cite this Entry

“Spike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spike. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

spike

1 of 3 noun
1
: a very large nail
2
a
: one of the metal objects set in the sole and heel of a shoe (as a baseball shoe) to prevent slipping
b
plural : a pair of shoes having spikes
3
: an unbranched antler of a young deer
4
: the act or an instance of spiking (as in volleyball)
5
: a pointed element (as in a graph)

spike

2 of 3 verb
spiked; spiking
1
: to fasten or furnish with spikes
2
: to pierce or cut with or on a spike
3
: to add alcoholic liquor to a drink
4
: to drive (as a volleyball) sharply downward
5
: to increase sharply
battery sales spiked after the storm

spike

3 of 3 noun
1
: an ear of grain
2
: a long usually rather narrow cluster of flowers in which the blossoms grow close to the central stem
Etymology

Noun

Middle English spike "a large nail"; probably of Scandinavian origin

Noun

Middle English spik "a head of a stalk of grain, ear," from Latin spica (same meaning)

Medical Definition

spike

1 of 2 noun
: a change (as in voltage) involving a sharp increase and fall or a recording of this: as
a
: the pointed element in the wave tracing in an electroencephalogram
b
: a sharp increase in body temperature followed by a rapid fall
a fever with spikes to 103°
c(1)
: the sharp increase and fall in the recorded action potential of a stimulated nerve cell that during the increasing phase corresponds to an inrush of sodium ions to the interior of the cell and during the decreasing phase corresponds to a slowing of the influx of sodium ions and to an increasing efflux of potassium ions to the exterior

spike

2 of 2 transitive verb
spiked; spiking
: to undergo a sudden sharp increase in (temperature or fever) usually up to an indicated level
infected patients spiked fevers as high as 105°F

More from Merriam-Webster on spike

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