# Ike

/ˈaɪk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ike
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a nickname for Isaac

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal

a short, friendly name for a man named Isaac.

For teachers: a diminutive or hypocoristic form of the male given name Isaac.

- His friends called him Ike instead of using his full name.
- The biography explores how the subject transitioned from being called Ike in his youth to using his full name in professional circles.

Usage: Used as a familiar address or nickname.

### 2. Dwight D. Eisenhower

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Informal

the nickname for Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a famous general and the 34th U.S. President.

For teachers: the widely recognised nickname for Dwight D. Eisenhower, particularly in the context of his military career and presidency.

- The campaign slogan 'I Like Ike' helped him win the election.
- Historians often refer to the Eisenhower era simply by the president's popular moniker, Ike, reflecting his public persona at the time.

Usage: Commonly encountered in historical texts and political slogans.

## Examples

- The worker used an ike to pull the log toward the riverbank.
- During the spring log drive, the men stood on the banks using ikes to prevent jams in the narrow parts of the river.
- The museum display featured a collection of rusted ikes and saws, remnants of a time when the local economy relied entirely on the manual transport of timber.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.