<strong>Piqued my interest: What’s the story behind this phrase?</strong>
Almost all of us are familiar with the phrase “piqued my interest. It means arousing interest. One example of its usage could be this: “As I was surfing through the internet, I found an article on penguins that piqued my interest.” ‘Piqued my curiosity’ is also used in some cases. Though the word ‘piqued’ is not a part of common vocabulary, this phrase is quite common.
Firstly, what is the meaning of the word ‘piqued?’
The word ‘piqued,’ incidentally, has more meanings than one. In this context, it means to catch, incite or trigger an interest. However, the meaning of this word, as a standalone, has undergone many changes. The original meaning of ‘piqued’ is to excite or stimulate. However, according to Websters dictionary, the word ‘piqued’ means, to mildly annoy, or upset, or irritate. Needless to say, this definition is far from feeling curious or excited or interested.
Apart from being used as a verb, the word ‘piqued’ is also used as a noun meaning “an irritating sensation arising from an action.” For example: “My brother’s indifferent behaviour put me in a pique.”
‘Pique’ is also used to mean ‘pride oneself’. For example: “She piqued herself on her guitar playing skills.” However, this archaic form is hardly used in modern English.
What is the origin of the term ‘piqued?’
The term ‘pique’ traces back to the early 16th century France, which is why the ‘qu’ in the middle is pronounced like a ‘k’ like the French do. In fact, it is derived from the Middle-aged French verb ‘piquer’ meaning ‘to prick’. So, when we say ‘piqued’ in modern English and refer to a feeling of irritation, it directly traces back to the French origin where a certain sense of harm or injury is denoted.
On the other hand, the more common and positive definition, clearly refers to a sudden arousal of an abrupt emotional response to a stimulus, be it in case of interest or curiosity.
Is ‘piqued my interest’ the only correct form of the phrase?
The most common mistake surrounding the phrase ‘piqued my interest’ is the spelling of ‘piqued’ itself. While some assume it’s ‘peaked’ others write it as ‘peeked.’ Unfortunately, both are incorrect, and the only correct version is ‘piqued.’ Incidentally, all three words are homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled and defined differently). While we already know the multiple meanings of ‘piqued,’ ‘peeked’ means “took a quick look” and “peaked” means “reached the highest point.”