piccaninny
[ pik-uh-nin-ee ]
/ ˈpɪk əˌnɪn i /
noun, plural pic·ca·nin·nies.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUNCTUATION QUIZ
Punctuation marks help make writing easy to read and understand. Some of the most important ones are the period (.), comma (,), question mark (?), and exclamation point (!). How well do you know how to use them? Find out in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
Which punctuation mark is best for this sentence? "Can I watch a movie __"
Origin of piccaninny
First recorded in 1650–60
Words nearby piccaninny
picayune, piccadilly, piccadilly circus, piccalilli, piccanin, piccaninny, piccard, piccata, piccinni, piccolo, piccoloist
Definition for piccaninny (2 of 2)
pickaninny
or pic·a·nin·ny, pic·ca·nin·ny
[ pik-uh-nin-ee ]
/ ˈpɪk əˌnɪn i /
noun, plural pick·a·nin·nies. Older Use: Now Offensive.
a term used to refer to a black child.
Origin of pickaninny
1645–55; probably ultimately < Portuguese pequenino, diminutive of pequeno small; as a word for “small child,” pickaninny and its variants are widespread in English-based creoles of the New World and West Africa; compare Jamaican English pickney, West African English pickin small child
usage note for pickaninny
This is a dated term, originally used in a neutral or even affectionate way among slaves in the West Indies, but now perceived as insulting.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for piccaninny (1 of 2)
piccaninny
esp US pickaninny
/ (ˌpɪkəˈnɪnɪ) /
noun plural -nies
offensive a small Black or Aboriginal child
(modifier) tinya piccaninny fire won't last long
Word Origin for piccaninny
C17: perhaps from Portuguese pequenino tiny one, from pequeno small
British Dictionary definitions for piccaninny (2 of 2)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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