Plural of dyke, referring to embankments or walls built to prevent flooding, typically along coasts or rivers. Also used as a geological term for intrusive igneous rock formations.
From Middle English 'dike,' from Old Norse 'diki' meaning 'ditch, pond.' The word originally referred to both the excavation and the embankment created from the excavated earth. Dutch settlers brought advanced dyke-building techniques to English-speaking regions.
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