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Glite Dictionary
spike mike

spike mike

9.9
A small pointed microphone that you press against a wall to hear sounds in the next room
  • noun
  • /spaɪk maɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : micrófono espigado
  • The audio engineer used a spike mike to pick up sounds from the other side of the wall.

Examples

  • To capture the faint noises, the team positioned a spike mike close to the wall.

  • Grant is seated before a fold-out, portable control panel, a series of lights and switches indicating the various locations of the highly sensitive spike mikes.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • During the investigation, they deployed a spike mike to eavesdrop on the suspect's conversations.

Synonyms

mic
vsspike mike
  • Informal
194 3.5

A small object that changes sound into electricity for recording or making sound louder

is a small contact tool for listening through walls rather than general recording
spike microphone
vsspike mike
  • Specialized
9.9

A small microphone placed against a wall that picks up sounds on the other side

is the same but has a pointed end for inserting into surfaces
contact microphone
vsspike mike
  • Specialized
5.7

A small device that touches an object to record its vibrations

is narrower and focuses on listening through walls using a pointed tip
contact mike
vsspike mike
  • Specialized
7.5

A microphone that picks up sound when it touches an object like a guitar or window

is more specific designed to listen through walls with a pointed end

How Sensitive

parabolic reflector
  • Specialized
8.0
spike mike
  • Specialized
9.9
contact microphone
  • Specialized
5.7
gun microphone
  • Specialized
7.5

Surface Forms

spike mike singular
spike mikes plural

Morphology

spike + mike

The noun is a literal compound: 'spike' (a pointed projection) + 'mike' (microphone) directly describe a microphone with a pointed end. The intended use (a contact microphone for listening through walls) is a predictable functional extension of a pointed microphone, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer the meaning.

Etymology

Spike mike comes from how it looks: a small mike with a sharp spike that you press against a wall to pick up sounds from the other side, so the name means a device used to 'eavesdrop'.