# pike vs poise

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### pike
*noun · IPA /paɪk/ · frequency rank #11,580*
A very long spear used two-handed by infantry soldiers for thrusting (not throwing), both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a countermeasure against cavalry assaults.

### poise
*noun · IPA /pɔɪz/ · frequency rank #27,600*
A state of balance, equilibrium or stability.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pike-vs-poise