Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “pekken” come from?

pekken (Middle English) comes from Middle English piken, from Middle English pyke, from Old English pīc, from Proto-Germanic *pīk, from Latin pix, from Proto-Indo-European pik-, from Proto-Indo-European pi- — sap, juice.

Ancestry of “pekken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishpikenTo pick at; to use a edged tool on; To pierce or...
2Middle EnglishpykeA sharp round point or projection; A point or end...
3Old Englishpīcpointed object, pick axe
4Proto-Germanic*pīk—
5Latinpixpitch, tar
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpik-to be angry; pitch; resin
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpi-sap, juice

Words derived from “pekken”

  • peck
  • peckish
  • pecky
  • henpeck
  • henpeckery
  • pecketh
  • henpecker
  • woodpeck
  • peckishness
  • peckishly
  • peckest
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pi- →