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.
The Netherlands has some of the world's most sophisticated dyke systems - without them, about 65% of the country would be underwater! The Dutch saying 'God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands' reflects their mastery of water management through dykes and polders.
While dyke (embankment) is neutral, 'dyke' became a slur for lesbians in 20th-century English, derived through derogatory association. Reclamation has occurred in queer communities, but context determines harm.
Use only for hydraulic/geographical structures unless explicitly reclaiming in LGBTQ+ contexts. When discussing the slur historically, name it as such.
["embankments","levees","dams","barriers"]
Many queer women have reclaimed 'dyke' as a term of pride and identity, asserting linguistic sovereignty over derogatory language.
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