kike
Kike (noun) means a highly offensive ethnic slur used against Jewish people. Example: “The word is a slur and should not be used; it is included here only as a matter of lexicographic record.”
How to use kike
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA deeply offensive slur targeting Jewish people. It carries no neutral use.
This is a slur, not a neutral descriptive term. It appears in dictionaries purely for reference and historical/linguistic documentation, never as a suggested or acceptable usage.
Word forms
more kike comparative, kiked past tense, kikes plural, kikes singular, most kike superlative
Etymology
Origins are disputed. One theory traces it to Yiddish קײַקל (kaykl, "circle"): early 20th-century Jewish immigrants to the US who could not write in Latin script reportedly signed documents with a circle rather than an X, to avoid anything resembling a cross. Other theories point to a contraction of the phrase "Ikey-Kikey" or to Scots keek ("to peek"), tied to clothing-industry espionage. No theory is universally accepted.
Rhymes for kike
See all rhymes for kike →Frequently asked questions
What does “kike” mean?
The word “kike” means a highly offensive ethnic slur used against Jewish people. In plain terms, a deeply offensive slur targeting Jewish people. It carries no neutral use.
How do you pronounce “kike”?
“Kike” is pronounced kyk (/kaɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “kike” in a sentence?
Here is “kike” used in a sentence: “The word is a slur and should not be used; it is included here only as a matter of lexicographic record.”
What part of speech is “kike”?
“Kike” is a noun.
Where does the word “kike” come from?
The word “kike” dates back to around 1900 and comes from Latin.