To pique is to arouse or stimulate — that piqued my interest. A peak is a summit or a maximum. "Peak my interest" is the frequent error, and there is a third spelling: to peek is to look. All three sound identical, and only one of them arouses curiosity.
The core difference
Three homophones, one of them appearing almost only in a single phrase.
- pique — arouse, stimulate: pique someone's curiosity. As a noun: resentment — a fit of pique.
- peak — summit, maximum: peak demand, a mountain peak.
- peek — a quick look: peek through the curtains.
Why the error is so common
Pique is a French borrowing that most people meet only in "pique my interest" and "a fit of pique". Because it is rarely seen written, the familiar English spelling peak gets substituted — and "peak my interest" almost makes sense if you imagine interest reaching a summit.
The noun sense
Pique as a noun means irritated resentment: acting in a fit of pique. It comes from French piquer, to prick or sting — which is the sense of something needling you into attention.
Frequently asked questions
Is it "peak my interest" or "pique my interest"?
Pique. It means to arouse or stimulate, from French piquer, to prick.
What does "a fit of pique" mean?
A burst of irritated resentment — the noun sense of the same word.
What about peek?
A third homophone meaning a quick look. Three spellings, three unrelated meanings.