pig

pig
pig (n.) probably from O.E. *picg, found in compounds, ultimate origin unknown. Originally "young pig" (the word for adults was swine). Another Old English word for "pig" was fearh, related to furh "furrow," from PIE *perk- "dig, furrow" (Cf. L. porc-us "pig," see PORK (Cf. pork)). "This reflects a widespread IE tendency to name animals from typical attributes or activities" [Lass].
Synonyms grunter, porker are from sailors' and fishermen's euphemistic avoidance of uttering the word pig at sea, a superstition perhaps based on the fate of the Gadarene swine, who drowned.
The meaning "oblong piece of metal" is first attested 1580s, on the notion of "large mass." The derogatory slang meaning "police officer" has been in underworld slang since at least 1811; pig out "eat like a pig" is 1979; Pig Latin first recorded 1937.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • PIG — (Heb. חֲזִיר, ḥazir). Included in the Pentateuch among the unclean animals prohibited as food is the pig which, although cloven footed, is a nonruminant (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 16:8). It is the sole unclean animal mentioned as possessing these… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Pig — steht für: Parlamentsinformationsgesetz, Gesetze, die die Informationspflichten der Landesregierung gegenüber dem Landtag zum Gegenstand haben PIG Stadtmagazin, in Göppingen Pig (engl. Schwein) steht für: Blodwyn Pig, eine britische Rockgruppe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • pig — [pig] n. pl. pigs or pig [ME pigge, orig., young pig (replacing OE swin) < OE * picga, as in picgbread, mast, pig s food] 1. any swine, esp. the unweaned young of the thick bodied domesticated species (Sus scrofa): see HOG (sense 1) 2. meat… …   English World dictionary

  • Pig — Pig, n. [Cf. D. big, bigge, LG. bigge, also Dan. pige girl, Sw. piga, Icel. p[=i]ka.] 1. The young of swine, male or female; also, any swine; a hog. Two pigges in a poke. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) Any wild species of the genus {Sus}… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • PIG — steht für: Parlamentsinformationsgesetz, Gesetze, die die Informationspflichten der Landesregierung gegenüber dem Landtag zum Gegenstand haben PIG Stadtmagazin, in Göppingen proximales (körpernahes) Interphalangealgelenk Pig (engl. Schwein) steht …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • pig — ► NOUN 1) a domesticated mammal with sparse bristly hair and a flat snout, kept for its meat. 2) a wild animal related to the domestic pig. 3) informal a greedy, dirty, or unpleasant person. 4) informal, derogatory a police officer. 5) an oblong… …   English terms dictionary

  • pig|gy — «PIHG ee», noun, plural gies, adjective, gi|er, gi|est. –n. a little pig. –adj. like a pig; piggish: »Henry VIII…is even piggier (Punch) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pig — Pig, n. A piggin. [Written also {pigg}.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pig — Pig, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. {Pigged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pigging}.] 1. To bring forth (pigs); to bring forth in the manner of pigs; to farrow. [1913 Webster] 2. To huddle or lie together like pigs, in one bed. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pig — der; s, s <aus gleichbed. engl. pig> (ugs. abwertend) Polizist …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

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