Mic or mike?
mic is a noun meaning “Alternative form of mike (“microphone”)”; mike is a noun meaning “A microphone”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) mike is about 9.8 times as common as mic.
What is the difference between mic and mike?
| mic | mike | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective | noun, verb |
| Meaning | A microfarad | informalA microphone To microphone; to place one or more microphones (mikes) on To measure using a micrometer |
| Example | If we add the drum kit, we'll have to mic the orchestra | We'll be there in one zero mikes [i.e. ten minutes] |
| Forms | mics | mikes |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmaɪk/ | /ˈmaɪk/ /maɪk/ [mɐɪʔk] |
| In writing | 6.5 times per million words | 63 times per million words |
Sources: mic and mike in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of mic and mike
mic
- 1
Alternative form of mike (“microphone”)
- 2
Alternative form of mike
If we add the drum kit, we'll have to mic the orchestra
- 3
A microfarad
- 4
Abbreviation of methylisocyanate
- 5
Initialism of made in China
- 6
Initialism of modular integrated construction
- 7
Initialism of minor in consumption (of alcohol)
- 8
Initialism of military-industrial complex
mike
- 1
informalA microphone
- 2
To microphone; to place one or more microphones (mikes) on
- 3
Alternative letter-case form of Mike from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet
- 4
slangClipping of microgram
- 5
A radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter M
- 6
slangAn Irishman, especially a labourer
[…] very hard work, a holy day – & the boys went on to […] & took the Mikes, so I cd get no helper but Marty – had to set up Punch & Judy show – & when I proposed to decorate tree…
- 7
To measure using a micrometer
- 8
slangA minute
We'll be there in one zero mikes [i.e. ten minutes]
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, mic or mike?
mic appears 6.5 times per million words; mike 63 times per million words.
mic 6.5 times per million wordsmike 63 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How many people search mic vs mike?
“mic vs mike” is searched about 390 times a month on Google and 10 on Bing in the United States. Google counts close variants of a query together (“mike vs mic”, “mic or mike”).
Sources: Google Ads keyword data through DataForSEO and Microsoft Advertising keyword data through DataForSEO, the average month from September 2025 to August 2026.