peck etymology

Etymology

The word peck is derived from the Middle English word pekken, which itself originated from the Old English verb piccan, meaning "to pick." The word has its roots in the Proto-Germanic *pik-, meaning "to prick" or "to peck."

Meaning

A peck is a unit of dry volume that is equal to:

  • 2 gallons
  • 8 quarts
  • 32 pints

In the United States, a peck is defined as 0.5061 cubic feet or 8.809 liters.

Origin

The earliest known use of the word "peck" in English dates back to the 12th century. The word was originally used to refer to the amount of grain that could be picked or gathered in a single handful. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include a specific unit of dry volume.

Usage

The peck is still used as a unit of measure in some contexts, particularly in relation to agricultural products. In everyday conversation, the word "peck" is often used figuratively to refer to a small amount or a quick bite. For example, one might say "I'm just going to peck at my salad" or "The bird pecked at the window."

peck relate terms

  • pecking

    Etymology The word pecking originated from the Middle English word pikken which in

  • peck

    Etymology The word peck is derived from the Middle English word pekken which itself orig

  • pick

    Etymology Pick comes from the Middle English word pikken which is derived from the

  • pike

    Etymology Pike is derived from the Middle English word pike which is in turn derived

  • picked

    Etymology The word picked is derived from the Old English word piccan which means

  • batch

    Etymology of batch The word batch is derived from the Old French word basche whic

  • westernize

    Etymology Westernize is derived from the word West referring to the Western world

  • Archibald

    Etymology The name Archibald is derived from the Germanic name Erkenbald Meaning Genu

  • picnic

    Etymology The word picnic is derived from the French phrase pique nique which means

  • plenty

    Etymology and Origin The word plenty derives from the Old French word plenté which

  • mass

    Etymology The word mass has origins in multiple languages Latin missa meaning d

  • pile

    Etymology The word pile comes from Middle English pile which is derived from the Ol