Pike (?), n. [F. pique; perhaps of Celtic origin; cf. W. pig a prick, a point, beak, Arm. pik pick. But cf. also L. picus woodpecker (see Pie magpie), and E. spike. Cf. Pick, n. & v., Peak, Pique.] 1. (Mil.) A foot soldier's weapon, consisting of a long wooden shaft or staff, with a pointed steel head. It is now superseded by the bayonet.
2. A pointed head or spike; esp., one in the center of a shield or target. Beau. & Fl.
3. A hayfork. Tusser.
4. A pick. Wright. Raymond.
5. A pointed or peaked hill.
6. A large haycock. Halliwell.
7. A turnpike; a toll bar. Dickens.
8. (Zoöl.)sing. & pl. A large fresh-water fish (Esox lucius), found in Europe and America, highly valued as a food fish; — called also pickerel, gedd, luce, and jack.
☞ Blue pike, grass pike, green pike, wall-eyed pike, and yellow pike, are names, not of true pike, but of the wall-eye. See Wall-eye.
Gar pike. See under Gar. — Pike perch(Zoöl.), any fresh-water fish of the genus Stizostedion (formerly Lucioperca). See Wall-eye, and Sauger. — Pike pole, a long pole with a pike in one end, used in directing floating logs. — Pike whale(Zoöl.), a finback whale of the North Atlantic (Balænoptera rostrata), having an elongated snout; — called also piked whale. — Sand pike(Zoöl.), the lizard fish. — Sea pike(Zoöl.), the garfish (a).