Topic: CIVIL
Sense: 1, 3
| Origin: | Old English dic 'ditch, dike' |
| Date: | 1900-2000 |
| Origin: | Probably from morphadyke 'male and female person, homosexual' (1900-2000), from hermaphrodite |
| |||||||||
dyke , dike
[countable]
[countable]1TBTTW a wall or bank built to keep back water and prevent flooding
2 taboo informal an offensive word for a lesbian (=woman who is sexually attracted to women). Do not use this word.
3 especially British EnglishTECTB a narrow passage to carry water away [= ditch]