Where does “pica” come from?

Pica comes from Latin pīca, derived from Proto-Indo-European (s)peyk-, a root meaning to cut or split.

pica (English): A disorder characterized by craving and appetite...

Definitions

  1. A disorder characterized by craving and appetite...

Ancestry of “pica”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpicamagpie
2Latinpicusa woodpecker; a griffin
3Proto-Indo-European(s)peyk-name of a bird; woodpecker; magpie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)peyk-Every word from Latin picusEvery word from Latin pica