When participating in internet activities such as games or chat and your internet connection suddenly lags very badly for a brief amount of time. The spike part comes from how sudden the lag is and how high it gets in such a short time.
"I had a huge killing spree going in UT until I got hit with some major lag spike and some fucking noob fragged me."

"Lag spike fucking sucks!"
by IceWarm July 23, 2004
Get the lag spike mug.
A term used to cover up poor performance of a player in a multiplayer game. The term describes the delay in the thought process of the player and his inability to perform as the rest of the group would expect from a player with their claimed experience and gear.
"Sorry for wiping the group, I'm getting major lag spikes."

(Player realises they messed up and are at risk of being kicked from a party): "Sorry for stepping on that bomb, I'm getting major lag spikes."

Team member: "FFS kick the noob paladin, they've done less dps than both tanks for the last five wipes and they've stood in the fire every time!"
Paladin: "Sorry. I've been getting lag spikes all evening."
by Spanky Deluxe January 7, 2015
Get the lag spike mug.
A lag spike is when a game freezes and then unfreezes. Or when the game go to a low FPS count. And this goes for tv's.
The game had a lag spike then, the lag spike disappeared.
by Jim ivan August 21, 2018
Get the Lag Spike mug.
This death occurs exclusively in the world of online multiplayer computer games, namely Garrys Mod. This is experienced only on online servers with a lot of addons, players, and ping. This causes the entire server to freeze up, and time out many players, and crash the remaining. This is awfully similar with the recent DDoS strikes on other multiplayer games.
I tried to play Teh Build Box on Garrys Mod but we experienced The Great Lag Spike of Death.
by Teslarossa February 19, 2014
Get the Great Lag Spike of Death mug.
Happens when you have a slow computer. The computer will lag(g) and then freeze and after awhile everything happens VERY fast, or nothing happens..
Most used term on games which require ALOT of FPS.
(Ex. World of Warcraft)
I had a lag(g)spike, that's why I died.

Sorry I was too late tonight, I lag(g)spiked
by LoLWuTxXx August 31, 2010
Get the lag(g)spike mug.