- a feeling of resentment or irritation, as from having one's pride wounded
- to cause to feel resentment or irritation
- to excite or arouse
- followed by on or upon: to pride or congratulate (oneself)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pique1 /pik/USA pronunciation
v., piqued, piqu•ing, n.
v. [~ + object]
n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v. [~ + object]
- to cause anger in (someone) by an insult or wound to someone's pride:He was piqued by those snide references to his teaching ability.
- to excite or arouse;
provoke:The report piqued my curiosity.
n. [uncountable]
- a feeling of irritation or resentment, as from a wound to one's pride:He stormed out of the room in a fit of pique.
pique1
(pēk),USA pronunciation v., piqued, piqu•ing, n.
v.t.
v.i.
n.
pique2 (pēk),USA pronunciation n. [Piquet.]
pi•que3 (pi kā′, pē-),USA pronunciation n., adj.
pi•qué (pi kā′, pē-; Fr. pē kā′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -qués (-kāz′; Fr. -kā′)USA pronunciation for 2, adj.
n.
adj.
v.t.
- to affect with sharp irritation and resentment, esp. by some wound to pride:She was greatly piqued when they refused her invitation.
- to wound (the pride, vanity, etc.).
- to excite (interest, curiosity, etc.):Her curiosity was piqued by the gossip.
- to arouse an emotion or provoke to action:to pique someone to answer a challenge.
- [Archaic.]to pride (oneself ) (usually fol. by on or upon).
v.i.
- to arouse pique in someone:an action that piqued when it was meant to soothe.
n.
- a feeling of irritation or resentment, as from a wound to pride or self-esteem:to be in a pique.
- [Obs.]a state of irritated feeling between persons.
- Vulgar Latin *piccare to pick1; see pickax, pike2, piqué
- Middle French pique (noun, nominal), piquer (verb, verbal)
- 1525–35
- 1. offend, sting, nettle, vex, irritate, chafe. 2. affront. 3. stimulate, stir, prick, incite, goad.
- 1. please. 2. compliment.
pique2 (pēk),USA pronunciation n. [Piquet.]
- Gamespic2.
pi•que3 (pi kā′, pē-),USA pronunciation n., adj.
- Clothing, Fine Art, Music and Dance, Textilespiqué.
pi•qué (pi kā′, pē-; Fr. pē kā′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -qués (-kāz′; Fr. -kā′)USA pronunciation for 2, adj.
n.
- Textilesa fabric of cotton, spun rayon, or silk, woven lengthwise with raised cords.
- Music and Dance[Ballet.]a step in which the dancer steps onto the tip of the toe without bending the knee.
- Fine Artornamentation by means of punched or stippled patterns, sometimes inlaid with metal, ivory, tortoise shell, etc.
adj.
- Clothing(of glove seams and gloves) stitched through lapping edges.
- Fine Artdecorated with inlay:a piqué box.
- French, past participle of piquer to quilt, prick; see pique1
- 1830–40
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
pique /piːk/ n
pique /piːk/ n
- a score of 30 points made by a player from a combination of cards held before play begins and from play while the opponent's score is nil
- to score a pique (against)
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
piqué /ˈpiːkeɪ/ n
- a close-textured fabric of cotton, silk, or spun rayon woven with lengthwise ribs
'pique' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):