Where does “fingerpick” come from?

fingerpick (English) comes from English pick, from Middle English piken, from Middle English pyke, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk, from Latin pix, from Proto-Indo-European pik-, from Proto-Indo-European pi- — sap, juice.

fingerpick (English): A type of plectrum that clips on to, or wraps...

Definitions

  1. A type of plectrum that clips on to, or wraps...

Ancestry of “fingerpick”, step by step

fingerpick traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pick

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpickA tool used for digging; a pickaxe; A tool for...
2Middle EnglishpikenTo pick at; to use a edged tool on; To pierce or...
3Middle EnglishpykeA sharp round point or projection; A point or end...
4Old Englishpīcpointed object, pick axe
5Proto-Germanic*pīk
6Latinpixpitch, tar
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpik-to be angry; pitch; resin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpi-sap, juice

via English finger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfingerA slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other animals
2GermanFingerfinger
3Middle High Germanvingerfinger
4Old High Germanfingarfinger
5Proto-West Germanicfingrfinger
6Proto-Germanicfingrazfinger
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpenkʷrós
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pi-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pik-Every word from Latin pix