noun
turnpike
TURN-pyk
Turnpike (noun) means a major road, especially one that charges a toll to drive on it. Example: “They took the turnpike to save time on the drive.”
noun
1
A major road, especially one that charges a toll to drive on it.
"They took the turnpike to save time on the drive."
2
Historically, a barrier or gate across a road that was opened once a toll was paid.
"Travellers once had to stop and pay at the turnpike gate."
How to use turnpike
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA toll road, or historically the tollgate that blocked it.
Common pairings
turnpike road
toll on the turnpike
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Word forms
- Plural
- turnpikes
- Third person singular
- turnpikes
- Past tense
- turnpiked
Fill the gap
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They took the _____ to save time on the drive.
Etymology
From Middle English turnpyke, originally a spiked barrier used to block a road until a toll was handed over — from "turn" plus "pike" (a spiked shaft).
Synonyms
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toll road
pike
Related words
Rhymes for turnpike
See all rhymes for turnpike →Frequently asked questions
What does “turnpike” mean?
The word “turnpike” means a major road, especially one that charges a toll to drive on it. In plain terms, a toll road, or historically the tollgate that blocked it.
How do you pronounce “turnpike”?
“Turnpike” is pronounced TURN-pyk (/ˈtɜː(ɹ)npaɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “turnpike” in a sentence?
Here is “turnpike” used in a sentence: “They took the turnpike to save time on the drive.”
What part of speech is “turnpike”?
“Turnpike” is a noun.
Where does the word “turnpike” come from?
The word “turnpike” comes from Middle English. From Middle English turnpyke, originally a spiked barrier used to block a road until a toll was handed over — from "turn" plus "pike" (a spiked shaft).
How many meanings does “turnpike” have?
“Turnpike” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a major road, especially one that charges a toll to drive on it.
