dyke

IPA/daɪk/
KK[dˈaɪk]IPA/daɪk/

dyke — noun

  • dykesingular
  • dykesplural

1. A long wall or raised bank built at the edge of a river, lake, or the sea to kee

1.nounB2
Definition

A long wall or raised bank built at the edge of a river, lake, or the sea to keep water from flooding low-lying land. The word can also mean a narrow ditch dug to carry water away from land.

Example

James walked along the dyke to see if the storm had damaged it.

verb: walk along the dyke (checking condition)

The old dyke held back the floodwater and saved the village from disaster.

verb: hold back floodwater (preventive function)

Common collocations
  • build a dyke
  • dyke system
  • along the dyke
  • dyke holds back
  • strengthen the dykes
  • dyke protects
Synonyms
  • levee

    More common in American English, especially for river embankments in the southern US. Used the same way as 'dyke'.

  • embankment

    A broader term that can include earth banks built for roads or railways, not only water control.

  • floodwall

    Usually made of concrete or steel rather than earth. More common in urban settings.

Usage Note

Frequently used in the plural ('dykes') when referring to a network of drainage channels or flood defences in a region, e.g. 'the dykes of the Netherlands'. The nearby sense 2 ('OFFENSIVE SLUR') is a separate word with the same spelling — context (water, farming, land) always signals this sense.

Common Mistakes

The beavers built a dyke across the river.
The beavers built a dam across the river.
A dam blocks the whole river; a dyke runs alongside it to hold back water at the edges.
The dyke broke and water poured over the wall.' (redundant)
The dyke broke and water flooded the fields.
'Wall' is built into the meaning of 'dyke'.

2. An extremely offensive word used to refer to a lesbian. In modern English this t

2.nounC1
Definition

An extremely offensive word used to refer to a lesbian. In modern English this term is a hateful slur and should never be used to describe a person.

Example

Teachers explain that the word 'dyke' is a hateful slur and should never be used.

metalinguistic use: 'the word "dyke" is…'

The newspaper issued an apology for publishing an article that used the word 'dyke'.

used as a topic of discussion, not as a term of address

Common collocations
  • 'dyke' is a slur
  • called someone a dyke
  • use the word 'dyke'

Usage Note

WARNING: This sense is a slur. It must never be used to refer to a person. The only appropriate contexts are (a) discussing the word itself in a lesson about offensive language, or (b) quoting a historical text where the term appears — and even then, many writers today censor or replace it. Unlike some slurs, this word has very limited in-group reclamation; learners should not attempt to use it under any circumstances. Distinguish from sense 1 ('FLOOD BARRIER'), which is a neutral technical term with a completely different meaning.

Common Mistakes

She is a dyke.
She is a lesbian.
'dyke' is a hateful slur; use 'lesbian' as the neutral, respectful term.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Dyke', 'levee', 'embankment', and 'floodwall' all describe structures built to control water, but they differ in region, material, and setting. 'Dyke' is the main term in British and European English for earth banks along rivers or coasts that prevent flooding. 'Levee' is the preferred American English equivalent, used especially for the embankments along the Mississippi River — the same object, different word. 'Embankment' is broader: it covers any raised bank of earth, whether built for a road, railway, or water defence, so it is less specific. 'Floodwall' implies a vertical structure made of concrete or steel, usually found in cities where space for a sloping bank is unavailable. For everyday conversation about farmland and rivers, 'dyke' or 'levee' are the most natural choices; use 'floodwall' for urban defences, and 'embankment' only when you need a general term.

dyke ↗levee ↗embankment ↗floodwall

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dyke system
  • dyke network
  • dyke maintenance

Phrases

  • build a dyke
  • repair the dykes
  • strengthen the dykes

Prepositions

  • along the dyke
  • behind the dyke

Etymology

Middle DutchEnglish

The water-defence sense of 'dyke' comes from Middle Dutch 'dijk', meaning an embankment or ditch. Dutch engineers brought the word and the technique to England in the Middle Ages, especially to drain the fens of East Anglia. The spelling 'dyke' is the older English form; 'dike' is an alternative spelling. The offensive slur sense appeared in early 20th-century American slang, possibly as a shortening of 'bulldyke' (a slang term of uncertain origin), and has no connection to the water sense except accidental spelling.

First known use

1931

1931, in the meaning defined above