noun
tyke
tyk
noun
1
A small child, especially a lively or mischievous one.
"The little tyke had smeared jam all over the sofa."
"She laughed at the tyke's attempt to help with the dishes."
2
A mongrel or scruffy dog.
"A scrappy little tyke followed them home from the park."
3
British informal: a person from Yorkshire.
"He's a proud Yorkshire tyke through and through."
How to Use Tyke
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA cheeky small child (the common modern use), or, in British dialect, a Yorkshire person.
When to use it
Informal and usually affectionate rather than critical.
Common pairings
a cheeky tyke
a little tyke
Word Forms
tykes plural, Tykes plural
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Etymology
From an Old Norse word for a female dog, later broadening in English to mean a mongrel and then, affectionately, a small child.