tyke

¹

or tike

[ tahyk ]

noun

1. a child, especially a small boy.
2. any small child.
3. a cur; mongrel.
4. Chiefly Scot. a low, contemptible fellow; boor.

tyke

²

or tike

[ tahyk ]

noun

1. Australia and New Zealand Informal. a Roman Catholic.

tyke

/ taɪk /

noun

1. a dog, esp a mongrel
2. informal.
   a small or cheeky child: used esp in affectionate reproof
3. dialect.
   a rough ill-mannered person
4. slang.
   Also calledYorkshire tyke a person from Yorkshire
5. slang.
   a Roman Catholic

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyke¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Old Norse tīk bitch

Origin of tyke²

1940–45; compare Ulster English Taig contemptuous term for a Roman Catholic Irishman, archaic English teague derogatory name for an Irishman < Irish Tadhg a common personal name

Word History and Origins

Origin of tyke¹

C14: from Old Norse tīk bitch

Example Sentences

There are even car seat mount kits to put the screen on the back of a headrest if your tykes spend a lot of time gaming on the way to grandmother’s house.

From Popular-Science

The tyke asked the gov his favorite part about being governor.

From The Daily Beast

Supe III, the Namath one and the first one I watched as a little tyke, took care of that.

From The Daily Beast

Soon after the young tyke began collecting presidential memorabilia and other knickknacks.

From The Daily Beast

Bobby lapped a' it so eagerly, yet so daintily, that she added: "He's a weel-broucht-up tyke, Jamie."

From Project Gutenberg

"Eh, ye gude-for-naethin' tyke," he said to Bobby, in transparent pretense of his uselessness.

From Project Gutenberg

An' look 'ere, if yer want a flag for the revolution, tyke muvver's trahsers an' tie 'em to the corfin.

From Project Gutenberg

Was the most utterly shabby, vulgar, mean-looking cur I ever beheld: in one word, a tyke.

From Project Gutenberg

To be sure, we call a dog a “tyke,” and to describe any one as a dog is not complimentary, unless qualifications are made.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• brat
• imp
• lad
• little terror