Where does “peckishness” come from?

peckishness (English) comes from English peckish, from English peck, from Middle English pecken, from Middle English piken, from Middle English pyke, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk, from Latin pix — sap, juice.

peckishness (English): The quality of being peckish; mild hunger

Definitions

  1. The quality of being peckish; mild hunger

Ancestry of “peckishness”, step by step

peckishness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English peckish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishpeckishmildly hungry; irritable; crotchety; Of or...
2EnglishpeckTo strike or pierce with the beak or bill; To...
3Middle EnglishpeckenAlternative form of piken
4Middle EnglishpikenTo pick at; to use a edged tool on; To pierce or...
5Middle EnglishpykeA sharp round point or projection; A point or end...
6Old Englishpīcpointed object, pick axe
7Proto-Germanic*pīk
8Latinpixpitch, tar
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpik-to be angry; pitch; resin
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpi-sap, juice

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pi-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pik-Every word from Latin pix
peckishness — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer