Where does “picaninny” come from?
picaninny (English) comes from English pickaninny, from Portuguese pequenino, from Portuguese pequeno, from Old Portuguese pequeno, from Vulgar Latin pitinnus — small.
picaninny (English): Alternative spelling of pickaninny
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of pickaninny
Ancestry of “picaninny”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pickaninny | A black child; Little, small |
| 2 | Portuguese | pequenino | Diminutive of pequeno; wee; boy, child; tiny |
| 3 | Portuguese | pequeno | small; child |
| 4 | Old Portuguese | pequeno | — |
| 5 | Vulgar Latin | pitinnus | small |