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pica
1[ pahy-kuh ]
/ ˈpaɪ kə /
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noun Printing.
a 12-point type of a size between small pica and English.
the depth of this type size as a unit of linear measurement for type, pages containing type, etc.; one sixth of an inch.
a 12-point type, widely used for typewriters, having 10 characters to the inch.
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Other definitions for pica (2 of 2)
pica2
[ pahy-kuh ]
/ ˈpaɪ kə /
noun Pathology.
an abnormal appetite or craving for substances that are not fit to eat, as chalk or clay, common in malnutrition, pregnancy, etc.
Origin of pica
21555–65; <New Latin, special use of Latin pīca jay, magpie, with reference to its omnivorous feeding
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pica in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pica (1 of 2)
pica1
/ (ˈpaɪkə) /
noun
Also called: em, pica em a printer's unit of measurement, equal to 12 points or 0.166 ins
(formerly) a size of printer's type equal to 12 point
a typewriter type size having 10 characters to the inch
Word Origin for pica
C15: from Anglo-Latin pīca list of ecclesiastical regulations, apparently from Latin pīca magpie, with reference to its habit of making collections of miscellaneous items; the connection between the original sense (ecclesiastical list) and the typography meanings is obscure
British Dictionary definitions for pica (2 of 2)
pica2
/ (ˈpaɪkə) /
noun
pathol an abnormal craving to ingest substances such as clay, dirt, or hair, sometimes occurring during pregnancy, in persons with chlorosis, etc
Word Origin for pica
C16: from medical Latin, from Latin: magpie, being an allusion to its omnivorous feeding habits
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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