pica

(pī′kə)

noun

Origin: < ? ML(Ec), a directory, church manual (see pie): ? in reference to type used in printing it

noun

an abnormal craving to eat substances not fit for food, as clay or paint

Origin: ModL < L, magpie: see pie

See pica in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A printer's unit of type size, equal to 12 points or about ¹/₆ of an inch.
b. An equivalent unit of composition measurement used in determining the dimensions of lines, illustrations, or printed pages.
A type size for typewriters, providing ten characters to the inch.

Origin:

Origin: Probably from Medieval Latin pīca, list of church services (perhaps from the typeface used to print it)

noun

An abnormal craving or appetite for nonfood substances, such as dirt, paint, or clay.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin pīca

Origin: , from Latin, magpie (from its omnivorous nature)

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