Where does “pip-squeak” come from?
pip-squeak (English) comes from English PIP, from Middle Dutch pip, from Latin pipita, from Latin pītuīta — mucus, phlegm.
pip-squeak (English): A small and insignificant person
Definitions
- A small and insignificant person
Ancestry of “pip-squeak”, step by step
pip-squeak traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English PIP
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | PIP | Initialism of picture-in-picture; Initialism of... |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | pip | disease of poultry, also of people |
| 3 | Latin | pipita | pip, coryza |
| 4 | Latin | pītuīta | mucus, phlegm |
via English squeak
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | squeak | A short, high-pitched sound, as of two objects... |