Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pig” come from?

Pig comes from Middle English pigge, from Old English picga, from Proto-West Germanic piggō, of unknown origin.

pig (English): Any of several intelligent mammalian species of...

Definitions

  1. Any of several intelligent mammalian species of...

Ancestry of “pig”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishpiggeA piglet or young pig; A pig irrespective of age;...
2Old Englishpicgaa young pig; piglet
3Proto-West Germanicpiggōpig

Words derived from “pig”

  • pigs
  • pigtail
  • piggy
  • pigsty
  • piglet
  • pigskin
  • pigheaded
  • piggery
  • pigpen
  • pigweed
  • pigtailed
  • piggish
  • pigging
  • pigheadedness
  • pigstye
  • piglike
  • pignut
  • piggie
  • piggishness
  • pigling
  • pigmeat
  • pigman
  • minipig
  • pigheadedly
Every word from Proto-West Germanic piggō →