Etymology dictionary

peasant (n.) — pejoration (n.)

peasant (n.)

"rural person of inferior rank or condition," usually engaged in agricultural labor, early 15c., paisaunt, from Anglo-French paisant (early 14c.), Old French paisant, paisent "local inhabitant" (12c., Modern French paysan), earlier paisenc, from pais "country, region" (Modern French pays, from Latin pagus; see pagan) + Frankish suffix -enc "-ing."

Pais is from Late Latin pagensis "(inhabitant) of the district," from Latin pagus "country or rural district" (see pagan). As a style of garment in fashion (such as peasant blouse) from 1953. In German history, the Peasants' War was the rebellion of 1524-25.

peasantry (n.)

1550s, "peasants collectively," from peasant + -ry.

peastone (n.)

also pea-stone, "large rounded grains of limestone, pisolite," 1821, from pea + stone (n.).

peat (n.)

"partly decomposed vegetable matter abundant in moist regions of northern Europe," where, especially in Ireland, it was an important source of fuel, c. 1200 in Scottish Latin, of unknown origin, probably from a Celtic root *pett- (source also of Cornish peyth, Welsh peth "quantity, part, thing," Old Irish pet, Breton pez "piece"). The earliest sense is not of the turf but of the cut piece of it, and the Celtic root may be from the same PIE source as piece. Peat-bog is by 1775; peat-moss (mid-13c.) originally was "a peat bog;" the meaning "sphagnum moss" (the type that grows in peat bogs) is by 1880.

peaty (adj.)

"resembling or composed of peat," 1765, from peat + -y (2). Related: Peatiness.

peavey (n.)

"cant-hook having a strong spike at the end," used by lumbermen, 1878, said to be named for a John Peavey, blacksmith in Bolivar, N.Y., who supposedly invented it c. 1872. Other sources ascribe it to a Joseph Peavey of Stillwater, Maine, and give a date of 1858.

pebble (n.)

"small, smooth stone," c. 1300, pibel, from Old English papolstan "pebblestone," a word of unknown origin. Perhaps imitative. Some sources compare Latin papula "pustule, pimple, swelling." Historically there is no precise definition based on size other than that it is smaller than a cobble. Related: Pebbly. Pebble-dashing "mortar with pebbles incorporated" is by 1941 (pebble-dash in the same sense is by 1902).

pecan (n.)

1712, paccan "the North American pecan tree," or a related hickory, from French pacane, from an Algonquian word meaning "nut" (compare Cree pakan "hard-shelled nut," Ojibwa bagaan, Abenaki pagann, Fox /paka:ni/).

peccadillo (n.)

"slight sin, petty crime or fault," 1590s (earlier in corrupt form peccadilian, 1520s), from Spanish pecadillo, diminutive of pecado "a sin," from Latin peccatum "a sin, fault, error," noun use of neuter past participle of peccare "to miss, mistake, make a mistake, do amiss; transgress, offend, be licentious, sin," a word of uncertain origin.

Watkins traces it to PIE *ped-ko-, suffixed form of *ped- "to walk, stumble, impair," from root *ped- "foot." But de Vaan is suspicious: "there is no reference to feet in the meaning of peccare. And to 'make a faux pas' ... would hardly be rendered by the word for 'foot', but rather by 'walking.' " He finds a derivation from the root *pet- "to fall" via *pet-ko- "a fall, error" to be "better semantically, but the addition of *-ko- to the bare root seems strange."

peccant (adj.)

c. 1600, "sinning, offending, causing offense," also "morbid, bad, corrupt," from Latin peccantem (nominative pecans) "sinful," present participle of peccare "to sin" (see peccadillo). As a noun from 1620s. Related: Peccancy.

peccary (n.)

indigenous pig-like animal of South America, Central America, and the U.S. Southwest, 1610s, from Spanish vaquira, baquira, from Carib (Guiana or Venezuela) pakira, paquira.

peccavi (v.)

statement acknowledging or confessing sin; Latin, literally "I have sinned;" first person singular preterite indicative active of peccare "to sin" (see peccadillo). Related: peccavimus "we have sinned;" peccavit "he has sinned."

peck (n.1)

"dry measure of one-quarter bushel," late 13c., pekke, of unknown origin; perhaps connected with Old French pek, picot (13c.), also of unknown origin (Barnhart says these were borrowed from English). Chiefly of oats for horses; original sense may be "allowance" rather than a fixed measure, thus perhaps from peck (v.). Originally not a precise measure and later sometimes used colloquially as "a great deal" (a peck of troubles, etc.).

peck (v.)

c. 1300, pekken, of a bird, "to strike at (something) with the beak," possibly a variant of picken (see pick (v.)), or in part from Middle Low German pekken "to peck with the beak." Related: Pecked; pecking.

pecking (n.)

mid-12c., pekking, "the pecking of birds," verbal noun from peck (v.). As a description of a pattern of behavior among hens, pecking order (1928) translates German hackliste (T.J. Schjelderuo-Ebbe, 1922); the transferred sense of "human hierarchy based on rank or status" is by 1955.

peck (n.2)

"act of pecking," 1610s, from peck (v.). It is attested earlier in thieves' slang (1560s) with a sense of "food, grub," from peck (v.) in the sense of "to eat" (1540s).

pecker (n.)

1690s, "one who or that which pecks," agent noun from peck (v.); slang sense of "penis" is from 1902, according to OED "chiefly U.S." OED adds that the British colloquial sense of "courage, resolution" (in keep your pecker up, 1853) is "commonly avoided by British travellers in the U.S."

peckerwood (n.)

1859, U.S. Southern black dialectal inversion of woodpecker; in folklore, taken as the type of white people, especially poor whites (1929), and symbolically contrasted with blackbird.

peckish (adj.)

"somewhat hungry, inclined to eat," literally "disposed to peck," 1785, from peck (v.) + -ish. Also compare peck (n.2). Related: Peckishly; peckishness.

Peck's bad boy

"unruly or mischievous child," 1883, from fictional character created by George Wilbur Peck (1840-1916).

Pecksniffian (adj.)

"characterized by an ostentatious hypocritical display of benevolence or high principle," 1851, after Mr. Pecksniff, character in Dickens' "Martin Chuzzlewit" (1844).

pectin (n.)

polysaccharide found in fruit and vegetables, crucial in forming jellies and jams, 1838, from French pectine, coined early 1830s by French chemist Henri Braconnot (1781-1855) from acide pectique "pectic acid," a constituent of fruit jellies, from Latinized form of Greek pektikos "curdling, congealing," from pektos "curdled, congealed," from pegnynai "to make stiff or solid," from PIE root *pag- "to fasten." Related: Pectic.

pectinate (adj.)

"having teeth like a comb," 1793," from Latin pectinatus, past participle of pectinare, from pecten "a comb," from PIE *p(e)tk- "to comb" (source also of Greek pekein, pektein "to comb, shear," Lithuanian pėšti "to pluck," Old High German fehtan "to fight;" see fight (v.)). Related: Pectination; pectineal. As a verb, "to fit together in a relation" (like the teeth of two combs), 1640s.

pectoral (n.)

early 15c., "ornament worn on the breast," from Old French pectoral and directly from Latin pectorale "breastplate," noun use of neuter of adjective pectoralis (see pectoral (adj.)). Related: Pectorally. As a shortened form of pectoral muscle, attested from 1758. Slang shortening pec for this is first recorded 1966. Related: Pectorals; pecs.

pectoral (adj.)

1570s, "of or pertaining to the breast or chest," from Latin pectoralis "of the breast," from pectus (genitive pectoris) "breast, chest," a word of unknown origin. De Vaan considers Old Irish ucht "breast, chest" as "a likely cognate, if it reflects earler *pektu-." Pectoral muscle is attested from 1610s.

peculate (v.)

"embezzle, pilfer, appropriate to one's own use public money or goods entrusted to one's care," 1749, from Latin peculatus, past participle of peculari "to embezzle," from peculum "private property," originally "cattle" (see peculiar). Related: Peculated; peculating; peculator.

peculation (n.)

"embezzlement, defalcation, the act of appropriating to one's own use public money or goods entrusted to one's care," 1650s, noun of action from Latin peculari (see peculate).

peculiar (adj.)

mid-15c., "belonging exclusively to one person," also "special, particular," from Old French peculiaire and directly from Latin peculiaris "of one's own (property)," from peculium "private property," literally "property in cattle" (in ancient times the most important form of property), from pecu "cattle, flock," related to pecus "cattle" (see pecuniary).

The meaning "unusual, uncommon, odd" is by c. 1600 (earlier "distinguished, special, particular, select," 1580s; for sense development, compare idiom). The euphemistic phrase peculiar institution for U.S. slavery is by 1838. Related: Peculiarly.

peculiarity (n.)

c. 1600, "exclusive possession, private ownership" (a sense now obsolete); 1640s, "a special characteristic of a person or thing," from peculiar + -ity, or else from Latin peculiaritas. Meaning "quality of being peculiar, individuality" is from 1640s; that of "an oddity" is attested by 1777. Related: Peculiarities.

pecunious (adj.)

"wealthy, rich, full of money," late 14c., from Old French pecunios and directly from Latin pecuniosus "abounding in money," from pecunia "money" (see pecuniary). Related: Pecuniously; pecuniousness.

pecuniary (adj.)

c. 1500, "consisting of money;" 1620s, "relating to money," from Latin pecuniarius "pertaining to money," from pecunia "money, property, wealth," from pecu "cattle, flock," from PIE root *peku- "wealth, movable property, livestock" (source of Sanskrit pasu- "cattle," Gothic faihu "money, fortune," Old English feoh "cattle, money").

Livestock was the measure of wealth in the ancient world, and Rome was essentially a farmer's community. That pecunia was literally "wealth in cattle" was still apparent to Cicero. For a possible parallel sense development in Old English, see fee, and compare, evolving in the other direction, cattle. Compare also Welsh tlws "jewel," cognate with Irish tlus "cattle," connected via the notion of "valuable thing," and, perhaps emolument.

An earlier adjective in English was pecunier (early 15c.; mid-14c. in Anglo-French), from Old French; also pecunial (late 14c.).

*ped-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "foot."

It forms all or part of: antipodes; apodal; Arthropoda; babouche; biped; brachiopod; cap-a-pie; centipede; cephalopod; cheliped; chiropodist; expedite; expedition; foot; foosball; fetch (v.); fetter; fetlock; gastropod; hexapod; impair; impede; impediment; impeach; impeccable; isopod; millipede; octopus; Oedipus; ornithopod; pajamas; pawn (n.2) "lowly chess piece;" peccadillo; peccant; peccavi; pedal; pedestrian; pedicel; pedicle; pedicure; pedigree; pedology; pedometer; peduncle; pejoration; pejorative; peon; pessimism; petiole; pew; Piedmont; piepowder; pilot; pinniped; pioneer; platypus; podiatry; podium; polyp; pseudopod; quadruped; sesquipedalian; stapes; talipes; tetrapod; Theropoda; trapezium; trapezoid; tripod; trivet; vamp (n.1) "upper part of a shoe or boot;" velocipede.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit pad-, accusative padam "foot;" Avestan pad-; Greek pos, Attic pous, genitive podos; Latin pes, genitive pedis "foot;" Lithuanian padas "sole," pėda "footstep;" Old English fot, German Fuß, Gothic fotus "foot."

pedagogic (adj.)

"of or pertaining to a teacher of children," 1781, from Latin paedagogicus, from Greek paidagōgikos "suitable for a teacher," from paidagōgos "teacher of children" (see pedagogue). Earlier (1755) in reference to the points used in printing Hebrew and Greek letters.

pedagogical (adj.)

"pedagogic, of or pertaining to a teacher of children," 1610s, from Latin paedagogicus (see pedagogic) + -al (1). Related: Pedagogically.

pedagogy (n.)

"the science of teaching," 1580s, from French pédagogie (16c.), from Latin paedagogia, from Greek paidagōgia "education, attendance on boys," from paidagōgos "teacher" (see pedagogue).

pedagogue (n.)

late 14c., pedagoge, "schoolmaster, teacher of children," from Old French pedagoge "teacher of children" (14c.), from Latin paedagogus, from Greek paidagōgos "slave who escorts boys to school and generally supervises them," later "a teacher or trainer of boys," from pais (genitive paidos) "child" (see pedo-) + agōgos "leader," from agein "to lead" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move").

"[N]ow used, generally with a sense of contempt, for a dogmatic and narrow-minded teacher" [Century Dictionary, 1895]; the hostile implications in the word are from at least the time of Pepys (1650s). Related: Pedagogal.

pedal (v.)

"to work with a pedal, use the pedals," 1866 of musical organs, 1888 of bicycles, from pedal (n.). Related: Pedaled; pedaling.

pedal (n.)

1610s, "lever (on an organ) worked by foot," from French pédale "feet, trick with the feet," from Italian pedale "treadle, pedal," from Late Latin pedale "(thing) of the foot," neuter of Latin pedalis "of the foot," from pes (genitive pedis) "foot," which is from the PIE root *ped- "foot."

The word was extended by 1789 to any part of a machine or apparatus which transmits power from the foot of the operator. Pedal steel guitar (so called from the pedals which change the tension of the strings) is attested by 1959. Pedal-pushers "type of women's trousers suitable for bicycling" is from 1944 (pedal-pusher "a bicyclist" is from 1934).

pedant (n.)

1580s, "schoolmaster," from French pédant (1560s) or directly from Italian pedante, literally "teacher, schoolmaster," a word of uncertain origin, apparently an alteration of Late Latin paedagogantem (nominative paedagogans), present participle of paedagogare (see pedagogue). Meaning "person who trumpets minor points of learning, one who overrates learning or lays undue stress on exact knowledge of details or trifles as compared with large matters or general principles" is recorded by 1590s.

pedantic (adj.)

"making an undue or inappropriate display of learning, absurdly learned," formed in English c. 1600, from pedant + -ic. The French equivalent is pédantesque. Perhaps first attested in John Donne's "Sunne Rising," where he bids the morning sun let him and his love linger in bed, telling it, "Sawcy pedantique wretch, goe chide Late schooleboyes." Related: Pedantical (1580s); pedantically.

pedanticism (n.)

"a pedantic notion or expression," by 1836, from pedantic + -ism. Earlier was pedantism (1590s) "the character or style of a pedant."

pedantocracy (n.)

"supremacy or power of bookish theorists," 1842, from pedant + -cracy "rule or government by," with connecting vowel. Coined (in French) by Mill in a letter to Comte.

pedantry (n.)

"manners, acts, or character of a pedant; the overrating of mere knowledge, especially in matters of learning which are of minor importance; ostentatious or inappropriate display of learning," 1610s, from Italian pedanteria, from pedante, or from French pédanterie, from pédant (see pedant).

peddle (v.)

"to retail, to sell in small quantities" (trans.), 1837, a colloquial back-formation from peddler. Earlier in intransitive sense of "travel about retailing small wares" (1530s). Related: Peddled; peddling. Peddling as "trifling, petty, insignificant" is by 1590s.

peddler (n.)

"one who travels about selling small wares which he carries with him," late 14c., pedelere (c. 1300 as a surname, Will. Le Pedelare), altered from peoddere, peddere (c. 1200, mid-12c. as a surname), which probably is from Medieval Latin pedarius "one who goes on foot" [The Middle English Compendium], from Latin pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Middle English ped "panier, wicker basket" is a back-formation from pedder. Pedlar, preferred spelling in U.K., is attested from late 14c.

pederast (n.)

"one who commits pederasty," 1730s, from French pédéraste, from Latin paederasta, from Greek paiderastēs "a lover of boys" (see pederasty).

pederasty (n.)

"carnal union of males with males," especially "sodomy of a man with a boy," c. 1600, from French pédérastie or directly from Modern Latin pæderastia, from Greek paiderastia "love of boys," from paiderastēs "pederast, lover of boys," from pais (genitive paidos) "child, boy" (see pedo-) + erastēs "lover," from erasthai "to love" (see Eros). Related: Pederastic.

pedestal (n.)

1560s, "base supporting a column, statue, etc.; that which serves as a foot or support," from French piédestal (1540s), from Italian piedistallo "base of a pillar," from pie "foot" (from Latin pes "foot;" from PIE root *ped- "foot") + di "of" + Old Italian stallo "stall, place, seat," from a Germanic source (see stall (n.1)). The spelling in English was influenced by Latin pedem "foot." An Old English word for it was fotstan, literally "foot-stone." Figurative sense of put (someone) on a pedestal "regard as highly admirable" is attested by 1859.

pedestrian (adj.)

1716, "prosaic, dull" (of writing), from Latin pedester (genitive pedestris) "plain, not versified, prosaic," literally "on foot" (sense contrasted with equester "on horseback"), from pedes "one who goes on foot," from pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Meaning "going on foot" is attested by 1791 in English (it also was a sense of Latin pedester). Earlier adjective pedestrial (1610s) meant "of or pertaining to the foot."

pedestrian (n.)

1793, "a walker, one who walks or journeys on foot," from pedestrian (adj.). In early use especially "one who walks or races on foot for a wager; a professional walker; one who has made a notable record for speed or endurance." In 20c. it came to mean especially "person walking on a road or pavement" as opposed to person driving or riding in a motor vehicle.

pediatrics (n.)

"medical treatment of children; the branch of medicine dealing with the study of childhood and diseases of children," 1884; from pediatric; see -ics.

pediatric (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the medical care or diseases of children," 1849, from Latinized form of Greek paid-, stem of pais "child" (see pedo-) + -iatric.

pediatrician (n.)

"specialist or expert in pediatrics," 1884, from pediatric + -ian.

pedicel (n.)

"footstalk of a plant," 1670s, from Modern Latin pedicellus, diminutive of pediculus "footstalk, little foot," diminutive of pedem (nominative pes) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot."

pedicle (n.)

"small stalk-like structure from an organ in an animal body," 1620s, from French pedicule or directly from Latin pediculus "footstalk, little foot," diminutive of pedem (nominative pes) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot."

pediculous (adj.)

"infested with lice, lousy; pertaining to lice," 1540s, from Latin pediculosus, from pediculus "louse" (see pediculosis). Related: Pedicular "of or pertaining to a louse or lice" (1650s), from Latin pedicularis, from pediculus.

pediculosis (n.)

"lice infestation," 1809, with -osis + Latin pediculus, diminutive of pedis "a louse," said in some sources to be akin to pedere "to break wind" (see petard) on notion of "foul-smelling insect" [Watkins]. But de Vaan traces it to a PIE *pesd- "annoying insect" and compares Avestan pazdu- "beetle, maggot." Pedicule "louse" is attested in Middle English (early 15c.).

pedicure (n.)

1839, "one whose business is surgical care of feet" (removal of corns, bunions, etc.), from French pédicure, from Latin pes (genitive pedis) "foot" (from PIE root *ped- "foot") + curare "to care for," from cura "care" (see cure (n.1.)). In reference to the treatment itself, attested from 1890; specifically as a beauty treatment, by 1900, but pedicuring (n.) in this sense is attested by 1892.

pedigree (n.)

early 15c., pedigrue, "genealogical table or chart," from Anglo-French pe de gru, a variant of Old French pied de gru "foot of a crane," from Latin pedem accusative of pes "foot" (from PIE root *ped- "foot") + gruem (nominative grus) "crane," cognate with Greek geranos, Old English cran; see crane (n.)).

On old manuscripts, "descent" was indicated by a forked sign resembling the branching lines of a genealogical chart; the sign also happened to look like a bird's footprint. On this theory the form was influenced in Middle English by association with degree. This explanation dates back to Skeat and Sweet in the late 1800s. The word obviously is of French origin, and pied de gru is the only Old French term answering to the earliest English forms, but this sense is not attested in Old French (Modern French pédigree is from English). Perhaps it was a fanciful extension developed in Anglo-French. Other explanations are considered untenable.

Meaning "ancestral line" is mid-15c.; of animals, c. 1600. Related: Pedigreed.

pediment (n.)

in architecture, "the triangular part of the facade of a Greek-style building," 1660s, alteration of periment, peremint (1590s), a word of unknown origin, "said to be a workmen's term" [OED]; probably a dialectal garbling of pyramid, the connection perhaps being the triangular shape. Sometimes associated with ped- "foot." Other possibilities include Latin pedamentum "vine-stalk, prop," and Italian pedamento, which at the time this word entered English meant "foundation, basework, footing." Meaning "base, foundation" is from 1726, by influence of Latin pedem "foot."

pedo-

before vowels ped-, word-forming element meaning "boy, child," from Greek pedo-, combining form of pais "boy, child," especially a son, from PIE root *pau- (1) "few, little." The British form paed- is better because it avoids confusion with the ped- that means "foot" (from PIE root *ped-) and the ped- that means "soil, ground, earth." Compare, from the same root, Sanskrit putrah "son;" Avestan puthra- "son, child;" Latin puer "child, boy," Oscan puklu "child."

pedology (n.)

"scientific study of the soil," 1924, from German pedologie (1862) or French pédologie (1899), ultimately from Greek pedon "ground, earth" (from suffixed form of PIE root *ped- "foot") + -logy. Related: Pedological. Earlier it was a word for "the study of children" (1894), from pedo-.

pedometer (n.)

instrument for measuring distances covered by a walker, 1723, from French pédomètre, a hybrid coined from Latin pedis (genitive of pes "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot") + -meter, from Greek metron "a measure" (from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure"). At first Englished as waywiser. Related: Pedometric.

pedophile (n.)

"person sexually attracted to children, person with pedophilia," 1951, earlier as an adjective (1913), derived from pedophilia. Paedophile is better. Pedophile appears in a 1904 cipher code but probably without intended sexual connotation.

pedophilic (adj.)

"pertaining to or characterized by pedophilia," by 1915, in the "American Illustrated Medical Dictionary," which defines it as "fond of children," from pedophilia + -ic. As a noun by 1927. Paedophilic is better.

pedophilia (n.)

1900, "abnormal, especially sexual, love of young children," from pedo- (from Greek pais (genitive paidos) "child") + Greek philos "loving" (see -phile). First attested in an abstract of a report by Krafft-Ebing. Paedophilia is better.

pedophiliac (adj.)

"pertaining to or characterized by pedophilia," 1951, from pedophilia. Paedophiliac is better.

peduncle (n.)

"flower-stalk supporting a cluster or a solitary flower," 1753, from Modern Latin pedunculus "footstalk" (equivalent to Latin pediculus), diminutive of pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- "foot." Related: Peduncular, pedunculate, pedunculated (1752).

pee (v.)

1788, "to spray with urine" (trans.), euphemistic abbreviation of piss. Meaning "to urinate" is from 1879. Related: Peed; peeing. Noun meaning "act of urination" is attested by 1902; as "urine" by 1961. Reduplicated form pee-pee is attested by 1923.

peek (n.)

"a peek, glance," 1844, from peek (v.).

peek (v.)

late 14c., piken "look quickly and slyly," a word of unknown origin. The words peek, keek, and peep all were used with more or less the same meaning 14c.-15c.; perhaps the ultimate source was Middle Dutch kieken. Related: Peeked; peeking.

peekaboo (n.)

also peek-a-boo, as the name of a children's game attested from 1590s; as an adjective (of garments) meaning "see-through, open," it dates from 1895. From peek (v.) + boo. Compare bo-peep.

peel (n.1)

"piece of rind, bark, or skin," especially of a citrus fruit, 1580s, from earlier pill, pile (late 14c.), from the source of peel (v.).

peel (v.)

"to strip off" the skin, bark, or rind from, developed from Old English pilian "to peel, skin, decorticate, strip the skin or ring," and Old French pillier, both from Latin pilare "to strip of hair," from pilus "hair" (see pile (n.3)). Probably also influenced by Latin pellis "skin, hide." Related: Peeled; peeling. Intransitive sense of "to lose the skin or rind" is from 1630s.

The figurative expression keep (one's) eyes peeled "be observant, be on the alert" is by 1852, American English, perhaps a play on the potato "eye," which is peeled by stripping off the skin. Peel out "speed away from a place in a car, on a motorcycle, etc.," is hot-rodders' slang, attested by 1952, perhaps from the notion of leaving behind a "peel" of rubber from the tire as it skids. Aircraft pilot phrase peel off "veer away from formation" is from World War II; earlier American English had slang peel it "run away at full speed" (1860).

peel (n.2)

"wooden shovel with a broad blade and a long handle," used by bakers, etc., late 14c.. pele, from Old French pele (Modern French pelle) "shovel," from Latin pala "spade, shovel, baker's peel, shoulder blade," related to pangere "to insert firmly," probably from PIE *pag-slo-, suffixed form of root *pag- "to fasten."

peeler (n.)

"one who or that which pares off the rind" of fruit, etc., 1590s, agent noun from peel (v.). In Middle English it meant "robber, thief" (mid-14c.), and in American English it meant "person of exceptional or unusual qualities" (1833). Meaning "strip-tease artist" (1951) is from peel (v.) in the colloquial sense of "strip off clothing" (1785).

Sense of "policeman," 1817, British colloquial, originally a member of the Irish constabulary, named for Sir (at that time Mr.) Robert Peel (1788-1850) who founded the Irish Constabulary and later improved the police system of London. Compare bobby.

peen (n.)

also pein, 1680s, "edged, rounded, or cone-shaped end of a hammer head," opposite the face, which is ordinarily flat; probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian dialectal penn "peen," Old Swedish pæna "beat iron thin with a hammer"). Earlier as a verb, "to beat thin with a hammer" (1510s).

peep (v.2)

"make a short chirp, cheap," as a bird, c. 1400, probably altered from pipen (mid-13c.), ultimately imitative (compare Latin pipare, French pepier, German piepen, Lithuanian pypti, Czech pipati, Greek pipos).

peep (n.1)

"a furtive look, as if through a crevice, a glimpse," 1520s, originally and especially "the first looking out of light from the eastern horizon" (the sense in peep of day); from peep (v.1). General meaning "a furtive glance" is attested by 1730.

peep (n.2)

"a short chirp, the cry of a mouse or young chick or other small bird," mid-15c., from peep (v.2); meaning "slightest sound or utterance" (usually in a negative context) is attested by 1903. Meaning "young chicken" is from 1680s. The marshmallow peeps confection are said to date from the 1950s.

peep (v.1)

"to glance, look from a state of concealment" (especially through or as through a small or narrow opening), mid-15c., pepen, perhaps an alteration of Middle English piken (see peek (v.)). Hence, "to come partially into view, begin to appear" (1530s). Peeping Tom "a curious prying fellow" [Grose] is from 1796 (see Godiva).

peeper (n.)

1650s, "one who peeps," agent noun from peep (v.1). Slang meaning "eye" is c. 1700.

From 1590s as "young chicken, little creature which peeps or chirps," and 1857 as "tree frog" (American English), both from peep (v.2).

peep-hole (n.)

"hole or crevice through which one may peep or look," 1680s, from peep (v.1) + hole (n.).

peep-show (n.)

"small show consisting of pictures viewed through a hole fitted with a magnifying glass," 1813, originally an entertainment for children (not typically salacious until c. 1914), from peep (v.1) + show (n.).

peer (v.)

"to look closely," 1590s, variant of piren (late 14c.), with a long -i-, probably related to or from East Frisian piren "to look," of uncertain origin. Influenced in form and sense by Middle English peren (late 14c.), shortened form of aperen (see appear). Related: Peered; peering.

peer (n.)

c. 1300, "an equal in rank, character, or status" (early 13c. in Anglo-Latin), from Anglo-French peir, Old French per (10c.), from Latin par "equal" (see par (n.)). Sense of "a nobleman of especial dignity" (late 14c.) is from Charlemagne's Twelve Peers in the old romances, who, like the Arthurian knights of the Round Table, originally were so called because all were equal. Sociological sense of "one of the same age group or social set" is from 1944. Peer review "evaluation of a scientific project by experts in the relevant field" is attested by 1970. Peer pressure is recorded by 1971.

peerage (n.)

mid-15c., "peers collectively," from peer (n.) + -age. Probably on model of Old French parage. Meaning "rank or dignity of a peer" is from 1670s. In titles of books containing a history and genealogy of the peers, by 1709.

peerless (adj.)

"unequaled, unmatched," c. 1300, from peer (n.) + -less.

peeve (v.)

"irritate, exasperate," 1907 (implied in peeved), back-formation from peevish. Also "to grumble, complain" (1912). As a noun, attested by 1910. Related: Peeved; peeving; peeves.

peevish (adj.)

late 14c., peyvesshe "perverse, capricious, silly," a word of uncertain origin; probably modeled on Latin perversus "reversed, perverse," past participle of pervertere "to turn about" (see pervert (v.)). Original sense was obsolete from 17c. The meaning "cross, fretful. ill-tempered" is recorded from 1520s. Related: Peevishly; peevishness.

peewee (adj.)

1877, "small, tiny; for children," a dialect word, possibly a varied reduplication of wee. Attested earlier (1848) as a noun meaning "a small marble." (Baseball Hall-of-Famer Harold "Peewee" Reese got his nickname because he was a marbles champion before he became a Dodgers shortstop.)

As a type of bird (variously applied on different continents) it is attested from 1886, imitative of a bird cry. Earlier peeweep (1825), and compare peewit.

peewit (n.)

also pewit, "lapwing" (still the usual name for it in Scotland), also applied to various other birds, 1520s, imitative of its cry. Compare Flemish piewit-voghel; Dutch piewit, kiewit; Middle Low German kivit; German kiwitz; Russian chibezu "lapwing;" also see kibitz. Middle English had peuen, of a kite, "to cry plaintively" (early 15c.) and pewewe was given as the sound of the plaintive cry of some bird (mid-15c.).

peg (n.)

"pointed pin of wood, metal, or other material," mid-15c., pegge, from Middle Dutch pegge "peg," or a similar Low German word (Low German pigge "peg," German Pegel "gauge rod, watermark," Middle Dutch pegel "little knob used as a mark," Dutch peil "gauge, watermark, standard"); of uncertain origin; perhaps from PIE *bak- "staff used as support" (see bacillus).

To be a square peg in a round hole (or the reverse) "be inappropriate for one's situation" is attested by 1836; to take someone down a peg "humble, lower the esteem of" is from 1580s, but the original literal sense is uncertain (most of the sensibly plausible candidates are not attested until centuries later). Peg leg "wooden leg of the simplest form" is attested from 1765.

peg (v.)

"fasten with or as if on a peg, drive pegs into for the purpose of fastening," 1590s, from peg (n.). Meaning "fix the market price" is by 1882. Slang sense of "identify, classify" is recorded by 1920. Related: Pegged; pegging.

Pegasus

famous winged horse in Greek mythology, also the name of an ancient northern constellation, late 14c., Pegase, from Latin, from Greek Pēgasos, usually said to be from pēgē "fountain, spring; a well fed by a spring" (plural pēgai), especially in reference to the "springs of Ocean," near which Medusa was said to have been killed by Perseus (Pegasus sprang from her blood). But this may be folk etymology, and the ending of the word suggests non-Greek origin.

Advances since the 1990s in the study of the Luwians, neighbors of the Hittites in ancient Anatolia, show a notable convergence of the Greek name with Pihaššašši, the name of a Luwian weather-god: "the mythological figure of Pegasus carrying the lightning and thunderbolt of Zeus, ... is likely to represent an avatar of the Luwian Storm-God of Lightning ...." [Alice Mouton, et al., eds., "Luwian Identities," 2013]

Peggy

fem. familiar proper name, an alteration of Maggie (see Margaret).

pegomancy (n.)

"divination by fountains," 1727, from Latinized form of Greek pēgē "fountain, spring" (a word of unknown origin, possibly Pre-Greek) + -mancy "divination by means of."

*peig-

also *peik-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cut, mark by incision," hence "embroider, paint."

It forms all or part of: depict; file (n.2) "metal tool for abrading or smoothing;" paint; pictogram; pictograph; pictorial; picture; picturesque; pigment; pimento; pint; pinto.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit pimsati "to carve, hew out, cut to measure, adorn;" Greek pikros "bitter, sharp, pointed, piercing, painful," poikilos "spotted, pied, various;" Latin pingere "to embroider, tattoo, paint, picture;" Old Church Slavonic pila "file, saw," pegu "variegated," pisati "to write;" Lithuanian piela "file," piešiu, piešti "to write;" Old High German fehjan "to adorn."

peignoir (n.)

"lady's loose robe," 1835, from French peignoir, from Middle French peignouoir "loose, washable garment worn over the shoulders while combing the hair" (16c.), from peigner "to comb the hair," from Latin pectinare, from pecten (genitive pectinis) "a comb," related to pectere "to comb" (see fight (v.)). A gown put on while coming from the bath; misapplied in English to a woman's morning gown.

Peirce

surname, attested from late 12c., from Old French Piers, nominative of proper name Pierre (see Peter) .

pejoration (n.)

"deterioration, a becoming worse," 1650s, noun of action from pejorate (1640s), from Late Latin peiorare "make worse," from Latin peior "worse," perhaps originally "stumbling," from PIE *ped-yos-, suffixed (comparative) form of *ped- "to walk, stumble, impair," from root *ped- "foot." Meaning "a lowering or deterioration of the sense of a word" is by 1889.