pique means enmity, ill feeling; (countable) a feeling of animosity or a dispute. It carries an Arena rating of 1713, earned across 7 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, pique ranks #1,002 of 17,116 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,993 of 17,130 for Most Ingenious Words, #2,253 of 17,113 for Most Elegant Words, #2,766 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
pique is pronounced /piːk/.
Why “pique” is a great word
A sharp, sudden feeling of irritation or wounded pride, or the act of provoking such a feeling. From Middle French pique (noun) and piquer (verb), from Old French piquer ("to pierce"), from Vulgar Latin *pīccare ("to sting, strike"), likely of onomatopoeic origin or from Frankish *pikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *pikkōną ("to knock, peck, prick"). First attested in English in the 1530s. Unlike "provoke" (which suggests a deliberate incitement to greater fury) or "resentment" (which implies a deep-seated, slow-burning grievance), pique is a transient, smarting puncture to the ego. It is the flush in the cheek at a patronizing remark, the quick intake of breath when a rival is praised, the silent fury of being overlooked—the body's startled recognition that the world has, however slightly, failed to honor one’s self-regard. The word carries the exact physics of its origin: a small penetration that leaves a surprising depth of feeling.
Etymology
The verb is borrowed from French piquer (“to prick, sting; to anger, annoy; (reflexive) to get angry; to provoke, stimulate; (reflexive) to boast about”), from Middle French piquer, picquer (“to prick, sting; to anger, annoy; (reflexive) to get angry”), from Old French piquer (“to pierce with the tip of a sword”), from proto-Romance or Vulgar Latin *pīccare (“to sting; to strike”) or *pikkāre, and then either:
* Onomatopoeic; or
* from Frankish *pikkōn, from Proto-Germanic *pikkōną (“to knock; to peck; to pick; to prick”). If so, pique is a doublet of pick, pitch, and peck.
The noun is borrowed from Middle French pique (“a quarrel; resentment”) (modern French pique), from piquer, picquer (verb); see above.
noun
- Enmity, ill feeling; (countable) a feeling of animosity or a dispute.
- Irritation or resentment awakened by a social injury or slight; offence, especially taken in an emotional sense with little consideration or thought; (countable) especially in fit of pique: a transient feeling of wounded pride.
- In pique of honour: a matter, a point.
- In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.
- A chigger, chigoe, or jigger (Tunga penetrans), a species of tropical flea.
- midgie, sand fly, punkie, punky (US)
- Synonym of pica (“a disorder characterized by appetite and craving for non-edible substances”).
verb
- To wound the pride of (someone); to excite to anger; to irritate, to offend.
- To excite (someone) to action, especially by causing jealousy, resentment, etc.; also, to stimulate (an emotion or feeling, especially curiosity or interest).e.g.“I believe this will pique your interest.”
- To pride (oneself) on something.
- To excite or stimulate (oneself).
- To take pride in.
- To excite to action, especially by causing jealousy, resentment, etc.; also, to stimulate an emotion or feeling, especially curiosity or interest.
- To express jealousy, resentment, etc. at someone; to become angry or annoyed.
- To score a pique against (someone).
Words closest in meaning
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