| MIC |
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MIKE |
Until very recently the casual term for a microphone was “mike,” not “mic.” Young people now mostly imitate the technicians who prefer the shorter “mic” label on their soundboards, but it looks distinctly odd to those used to the traditional term. There are no other words in English in which “-ic” is pronounced to rhyme with “bike”—that’s the reason for the traditional “mike” spelling in the first place. Although the new spelling has largely triumphed in casual usage, editors may ask you to use the older spelling in publication.