Etymology
From English dialectal hyke (to walk vigorously), probably a Northern form of hitch, from Middle English hytchen, hichen, icchen (to move, jerk, stir). Cognate with Scots hyke (to move with a jerk), dialectal German hicken (to hobble, walk with a limp), Danish hinke (to hop).
Noun
hiking (usually uncountable, plural hikings)
- Walking in the countryside for pleasure or sport.
- To protect the glacier, officials have limited the number of visitors to 10,000 a day and have banned hiking on the ice.
- The act by which something is hiked, or raised sharply.
Usage notes
This word is also the present participle of the verb "hike."
Derived terms
- hiking boot
- hiking pole
Credits
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