First recorded in 1775–85; from French pékin; after Peking
First recorded in 1880–85; after Peking
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Her childhood was marked by a prophecy, proclaimed to her in Liberian English: “Ma, de pekin wa’na easy oh.”
From Washington Post ● Mar. 9, 2017
One of the queerest friendships that ever came under my observation was that which existed between a bantam cock and a pekin drake.
From The Dawn of Reason or, Mental Traits in the Lower Animals by Weir, James
She cannot say it shust pe vorts, or tat tere pe much of ta sense in it; but it pe fery like what ta pabes will say pefore tey pekin to speak it properly.
From Malcolm by MacDonald, George
He was, perhaps, discontented at being put in communication with a pekin, and thought that Lord Steyne should have sent him a Colonel at the very least.
From Vanity Fair by Thackeray, William Makepeace
Uludag's lawyer Tora Pekin told AFP he also was being investigated for an article about Turkey's plans to repatriate Turkish nationals affiliated with IS.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
Pekin duck is the most widely available variety in the United States, and smaller than the bird Daisy was working with.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2025
With their four-year-old child, they headed from the camp where they'd taken refuge to their village, Pekin Coco.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2025
If you go into a Chinese restaurant and order duck, it’ll likely be Pekin, said Richard Blatchford, a poultry extension specialist in the department of animal science at UC Davis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2022
In the meanwhile, the Manchoo court at Pekin was seriously alarmed at the progress the Ti-pings were making, they being now distant but a few days' march.
From Ti-Ping Tien-Kwoh The History of the Ti-Ping Revolution (Volume I) by Lindley, Augustus F.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
