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Synonyms

pic

1 American  
[pik] / pɪk /

noun

Slang.
pix, plural pics plural
  1. a movie.

  2. a photograph.


pic 2 American  
[peek] / pik /
Or pique

noun

Piquet.
  1. the scoring of 30 points in the declaration of hands and in the play before one's opponent scores a point.

  2. the bonus of 30 points won for so scoring.


pic British  
/ pɪk /

noun

  1. informal a photograph, picture, or illustration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pic1

First recorded in 1880–85; by shortening from picture

Origin of pic2

< French: literally, prick

Explanation

A pic is a photo or a snapshot. When you're visiting the Statue of Liberty, you might hand your camera to a stranger and ask if they'll take your pic. Use the informal pic as a slang term for picture. Your selfie-obsessed friend might insist on snapping pics of himself everywhere he goes, while your grandma might proudly show of the pics of her grandchildren she keeps in her wallet. You can also call a movie a pic. This word might sound fairly modern, but it's been around since the 1880s — not too long after photography was invented.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A youthful, digital version of Kilmer appeared in the trailer for archeological action pic "As Deep as the Grave," telling another character: "Don't fear the dead and don't fear me."

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

"I was NOT prepared for the placenta pic," wrote one, and another replied: "Placenta and placenta pills were not on my bingo card for today but OK."

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2025

There’s no Bluesky virality for quote-posting a pic of Timothée Chalamet and the Jenners at a Knicks game.

From Slate • Jun. 12, 2025

“This is the last pic I took of Leah’s rock from my beach house,” the Grammy-winning songwriter wrote Wednesday on Instagram, sharing a photo from a Malibu beach amid the Palisades fire.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2025

And their pic was the best photo ever.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

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