pikeman

/ˈpaɪk.mən/

//ˈpaɪk.mən// noun

"pikeman" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pikeman” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A soldier armed with a pike.

Corpus desk

Index EN-pikeman · pikeman · English

pikeman · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for pikeman
PropertyValue
Headwordpikeman
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpaɪk.mən/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “pikeman” in English

pikemanfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

pikeman is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpaɪk.mən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for pikeman, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From pike + -man. Compare the Middle English surname Pykeman. The correct English form is pikeman, spelled P-I-K-E-M-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A soldier armed with a pike.
  2. 2
    A person who operates a turnpike.
  3. 3
    A miner who works with a pick.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how pikeman appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Vitellius comming on couragiouſly with his pikemen and his harquebuſiers , deuided into two wings, charged them fiercely
  2. Then there was the music of the rattling harness, and the ring of the horses' feet on the hard road, and the glare of the two bright lamps through the steaming hoar frost, over the leaders' ears, into the darkness; and the cheery toot of the guard's horn, to warn some drowsy pikeman or the ostler at the next change ; and the looking forward to daylight —…

Etymology

From pike + -man. Compare the Middle English surname Pykeman.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "pikeman"?
"pikeman" is spelled P-I-K-E-M-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpaɪk.mən/.
What does "pikeman" mean?
As a noun, "pikeman" means: A soldier armed with a pike.
How do you pronounce "pikeman"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pikeman" is /ˈpaɪk.mən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "pikeman"?
From pike + -man. Compare the Middle English surname Pykeman. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list