What does miked mean?
Miked is an informal word chiefly associated with broadcasting, live music, and public performance. As an adjective, it describes a person or instrument fitted or connected with a microphone: a singer may be miked, a musician may be miked for sound, or a guest may be “miked up” before a programme begins. As the past tense and past participle of the informal verb “mike,” it means to put on or connect a microphone to someone or something. The term is especially useful in technical and behind-the-scenes descriptions of how sound is captured. It should not be confused with “made up,” which can mean invented, constituted, or imaginary. Although “miked” is not formal dictionary-style vocabulary, it is natural and widely understood in American broadcasting and performance culture.
Fitted or connected with a microphone; having a microphone attached.
"The interviewer was miked throughout the discussion."
Informal and especially common in broadcasting and live performance. Often appears in the established phrase “miked up.”
To equip or connect a person, instrument, or space with a microphone.
"The technician miked the pianist before the concert."
Informal; normally used in broadcasting, recording, and performance settings.
Miked up and ready: the shortest way to say that a microphone is live.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does miked come from?
In this sense, the word comes from “mike,” an informal clipping of “microphone.” The longer word was coined in the 19th century from the Greek roots mikros, meaning “small,” and phōnē, meaning “sound.” The shortened form was established before the modern broadcasting industry, and “miked” and “miked up” developed as participial and adjectival formations describing a microphone-equipped person or setup.
Related word forms
How miked is actually used
Chiefly informal and especially common in broadcasting, live performance, and technical production. It is often used predicatively, as in “the singer is miked,” while the alternative spelling “mic'd” is also used. The expression “miked up” is particularly established in performance and broadcasting contexts.
Easily confused with miked
“Miked” means fitted with a microphone, whereas “made up” means constituted, invented, or imaginary.