Dike
/daɪk/noun
A ditch, embankment, or wall built to hold back water; in some contexts, a long barrier or ridge.
Did you know?In Greek mythology, Dike was the goddess of justice, and her name comes from the same root as the idea of a ‘customary way’ or ‘right order’—while English dike took a separate path from Germanic words for a ditch or embankment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheigh-
“to form, shape, or build”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*dīkaz
“ditch, trench, or embankment”
Old English
English
dīc
“ditch; also an embankment or earthwork”
Old French
Old French
dique
“ditch, dike, embankment”
Modern English
English
dike
“a ditch, bank, or barrier built to control water”