Where does “peaky” come from?
peaky (English) comes from English peak, from Middle English pek, from Middle English pike, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk, from Latin pix, from Proto-Indo-European pik-, from Proto-Indo-European pi- — sap, juice.
peaky (English): Sickly; peaked; Characterised by peaks
Definitions
- Sickly; peaked; Characterised by peaks
Ancestry of “peaky”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | peak | A point; the sharp end or top of anything that... |
| 2 | Middle English | pek | peak |
| 3 | Middle English | pike | Alternative form of pyke; pike; sharp point, iron... |
| 4 | Old English | pīc | pointed object, pick axe |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *pīk | — |
| 6 | Latin | pix | pitch, tar |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pik- | to be angry; pitch; resin |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pi- | sap, juice |