Boston local language
What does “the Pike” mean?
The Massachusetts Turnpike. Learn its pronunciation, local context, realistic examples, and when a more neutral phrase is safer.
Meaning and local context
the Pike means The Massachusetts Turnpike. in Boston local language. Local shorthand for Interstate 90 across Massachusetts.
How it is used
It appears in traffic reports and travel directions. One example is “The Pike is backed up.”, which corresponds to “Traffic is heavy on the Massachusetts Turnpike.” in plain English.
Example interpretation
A second example is “Take the Pike west.”, where the same local sense is expressed as “Travel west on the Massachusetts Turnpike.”. Reading both examples together helps distinguish this regional meaning from other possible readings of the word or phrase.
Tone and register
The Pike can mean other roads elsewhere; Massachusetts context matters. This caution is part of understanding “the Pike”: the definition tells you what it means, while the surrounding situation and tone help you judge whether using it yourself is appropriate.
- Pronunciation
- theh PYKE
- Register
- Informal regional speech
- Place
- Boston
Examples in conversation
The Pike is backed up.
Traffic is heavy on the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Take the Pike west.
Travel west on the Massachusetts Turnpike.