peewee etymology

Etymology

The word "peewee" has two possible etymologies:

  • From the sound of a small bird: The word may have originated as an imitation of the high-pitched call of small birds, such as the peewee flycatcher (Contopus virens).

  • From a Native American language: Some sources suggest that the word "peewee" may have originated from a Native American language, possibly Algonquian, and may have meant "small" or "child."

Meaning

"Peewee" has several meanings:

  • A small person or creature: A person or animal that is relatively small in size.
  • A young or immature person: A child or teenager.
  • A minor or insignificant thing: Something that is not important or valuable.
  • A baseball pitch: A type of pitch in baseball that is thrown with a low trajectory and a high degree of control.

Origin

The first recorded use of the word "peewee" in English is from the 1850s, initially referring to a small bird. By the late 19th century, it had also come to be used to describe a small person or child. The baseball pitch meaning is from the early 20th century.

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