pica的词源

英文词源

pica (n.1)

"size of type of about six lines to the inch" (12 point), 1580s, probably from pica, name of a book of rules in Church of England for determining holy days (late 15c. in Anglo-Latin), probably from Latin pica "magpie" (see pie (n.2)); the book so called perhaps from the color and the "pied" look of the old type on close-printed pages. The type size was that generally used to print ordinals.

pica (n.2)

"pathological craving for substance unfit for food" (such as chalk), 1560s, from Medieval Latin pica "magpie" (see pie (n.2)), probably translating Greek kissa, kitta "magpie, jay," also "false appetite." The connecting notion may be the birds' indiscriminate feeding.

中文词源

pica：派卡（印刷字母规格和字行长度单位），十二点活字

来自pica,16世纪末英格兰国教教堂礼仪指导或说明书，可能来自拉丁语pica,喜鹊，词源同pie,piebald.可能因这种书的纸张颜色或紧密的印刷页面形如黑白色的喜鹊而得名。后由这本书的印刷字体及字行衍生出印刷术语派卡。

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：pica 词源，pica 含义。

pica：喜鹊，异食癖

来自拉丁语pica,喜鹊，词源同pie,piebald.因喜鹊食性较杂，所在给人的印象是喜鹊什么都 吃，甚至吃石灰粉笔，因此由该词引申比喻义异食癖。