The Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm Monday Moment is…
Peak vs. Pique
Peak: |pēk| (verb) – hit the highest point. “Oil prices peaked in July.”
Pique: |pēk| (verb) – stimulate (interest or curiosity.) “The documentary piqued my interest.”
Peak is often incorrectly used in place of pique in the phrases “pique my curiosity” or “pique my interest.” This is probably because the user believes “pique” means to raise to a higher point (which, in a way, it does), and since “peak” falls under that definition, he confuses the two.
Correct: Movies have a tendency to pique my curiosity about subjects I normally wouldn’t have thought about.
Incorrect: Movies have a tendency to peak my curiosity about subjects I normally wouldn’t have thought about
In Closing
Peak = to hit a high point.
Pique = to stimulate.
Until Next Time,
The Mean Ol’ Schoolmarm
(Thank you, Sarah B, for this suggestion!)