Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Variant of dike1.
  2. n. Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a lesbian.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. A less proper spelling of dike.

Wiktionary

  1. n. alternative spelling of dike.
  2. n. A toilet.
  3. n. a ditch.
  4. n. a valley.
  5. n. A lesbian, particularly one who appears masculine or acts in a masculine manner. This word has been reclaimed, by some, as politically empowering. (See usage notes.)

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. See dike. The spelling dyke is restricted by some to the geological meaning.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. (slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine
  2. v. enclose with a dike
  3. n. a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea

Etymologies

  1. Origin unknown.

Examples

  • “Please note: I used the term dyke with the most loving intentions.”

    To be a Woman...

  • “Activists who are engaged in the process of defining disability may choose to use "crip" in the same way the word "dyke" is now a chosen identity for many people but was, for generations, a deep insult.”

    The Huffington Post: Cory Silverberg: When it Comes to Sex, Are Your Sins Invalid?

  • “She felt an odd thrill when the delivery driver was a woman, a dyke from the looks of it.”

    MORE FROM GINNY BATES: LESBIANS HAVING BABIES

  • “We were trying to figure out why she freely uses the word dyke but can't stand to hear black people call each other the "n" word ...”

    what's goin' on

  • “Though I have been called a dyke by buys in a mini-van.”

    bigotry in ontario

  • “Like I was some kind of dyke superhero in a milk commercial.”

    GINNY BATES, THE BEGINNING

  • “With an audience made up of the kind of dyke- looking lesbians that Ms R remembers from her uni days weren't they all supposed to be glamorous now?”

    Archive 2008-03-01

  • “She claims that while employed at the hair salon, several of her coworkers made disaparaging remarks about her not conforming to gender norms for a women, e.g., she claims that they said that she had a "dyke" attitude and they didn't like it.”

    10/09/2007

  • “Canadians like to yak on their phones for no reason, too - although that woman with the "dyke" comment was definitely American.”

    venting

  • “Young blacks resurrected the word to destroy its power, much as gays took over 'dyke', 'fairy', and 'queen'.”

    "Unforgiven: Why is Clarence Thomas so angry?"

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‘dyke’ has been looked up 2283 times, loved by 2 people, added to 14 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 12.