(also dike ) / daɪk; NAmE / noun
1.
a long thick wall that is built to stop water flooding onto a low area of land, especially from the sea
2.
( especially BrE ) a channel that carries water away from the land
SYN ditch
3.
( taboo , slang ) a word for a lesbian , that is usually offensive
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WORD ORIGIN
senses 1 to 2 Middle English (denoting a trench or ditch): from Old Norse dík , related to ditch . Sense 1 has been influenced by Middle Low German dīk dam and Middle Dutch dijc ditch, dam.
sense 3 1940s (earlier as bulldyke ): of unknown origin.