pica

¹ American  

[pahy-kuh] / ˈpaɪ kə /

noun

Printing.

1. a 12-point type of a size between small pica and English.

2. the depth of this type size as a unit of linear measurement for type, pages containing type, etc.; one sixth of an inch.

3. a 12-point type, widely used for typewriters, having 10 characters to the inch.

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pica ² American  

[pahy-kuh] / ˈpaɪ kə /

noun

Pathology.

1. an abnormal appetite or craving for substances that are not fit to eat, as chalk or clay, common in malnutrition, pregnancy, etc.

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pica ¹ British  

/ ˈpaɪkə /

noun

1. Also called: em.   pica em.  a printer's unit of measurement, equal to 12 points or 0.166 ins

2. (formerly) a size of printer's type equal to 12 point

3. a typewriter type size having 10 characters to the inch

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pica ² British  

/ ˈpaɪkə /

noun

1. pathol an abnormal craving to ingest substances such as clay, dirt, or hair, sometimes occurring during pregnancy, in persons with chlorosis, etc

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Etymology

Origin of pica¹

1580–90; apparently < Medieval Latin pīca pie ⁴, on the model of brevier and canon ¹, other type sizes

Origin of pica²

1555–65; < New Latin, special use of Latin pīca jay, magpie, with reference to its omnivorous feeding

Explanation

Pica is a disorder that makes people want to eat things that aren't food. If you have a strange craving for plaster or seashells, you may have pica. While pica is sometimes a psychological disorder, it's often caused by a nutritional deficiency. A person who's getting much less iron (or some other necessary mineral) in their diet than they need might crave things like dirt or stones. Pica can be dangerous, since the objects sufferers eat can poison them, like paint chips containing lead, or cause a blockage in their intestines. In Latin, pica means "magpie," a bird that eats a wide variety of foods.

Example Sentences

A girl shared that she would eat random objects — a condition called pica that often accompanies the disease.

From Washington Post • Apr. 28, 2023

In another report, the inspector pointed to years of concerns about the care provided to patients who have pica, a disorder in which people feel compelled to swallow inedible objects such as coins and zippers.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2023

She had a normal gag reflex and no history of pica, according to Woodhaven records reviewed by the Health Department.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2022

An autopsy showed the girl had multiple foreign objects in her bowels related to her pica eating disorder.

From Washington Times • Nov. 6, 2020

On Sunday afternoon, with eight days left, I come downstairs, dizzy and blinking from staring at pica type all day.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Related Words

• font