crick
A creek; a small stream.
Updated September 21, 2026
crick pronunciation
/krik/
Meaning
Same water as a creek, just said with a short i like pick. Folks fish the crick, swim the crick, and park the truck by the crick. On paper the place might still say Creek. In talking, plenty of rural and Appalachian speakers stick with crick.
How folks use it
- “We caught crawdads down at the crick behind Grandpa's place.”
- “Don't drive through that crick if it's been raining hard.”
Origin and etymology
A pronunciation variant of creek (short i versus long ee). Dialect surveys put crick strong in the North Midland and parts of Appalachia and rural America, while long-ee creek wins much of the Deep South. Both mean a small stream. Spelling followed the sound in informal writing.
Frequently asked questions
Is a crick smaller than a creek?
No. It is the same kind of stream. Crick is how many country folks say the word.