pique
/piːk/
noun
Origin
Old French
piquer — to prick, sting, or pierce
Overview
Meaning Now
- A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one's pride.
- A transient feeling of wounded vanity.
Literal older meaning
prick or sting
Language path
Old French → Middle French → English
Earliest form
pique
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The word entered English via French during the 16th century, retaining its sense of a sharp irritation or a 'prick' to one's ego. It evolved from the verb 'piquer,' which is related to the pike (a spear) and refers to something sharp or pointed causing physical pain, which metaphorically shifted to psychological pain.
Evolution
- Old French (12th century)
piquer
“to prick, sting”
- Middle French (15th century)
pique
“a quarrel, a prick”
- Early Modern English (16th century)
pique
“an outburst of anger, a feeling of irritation”
Connections
Related across languages
French
piquer
to prick, sting, or bite
Italian
piccare
to prick
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Related to pique
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.