pi·ca¹ (pī'kə)
n.

1. 1. A printer's unit of type size, equal to 12 points or about ¹/₆ of an inch.
   2. An equivalent unit of composition measurement used in determining the dimensions of lines, illustrations, or printed pages.
2. A type size for typewriters, providing ten characters to the inch.

[Probably from Medieval Latin pīca, list of church services (perhaps from the typeface used to print it).]

pi·ca² (pī'kə)
n.
An abnormal craving or appetite for nonfood substances, such as dirt, paint, or clay.

[New Latin pīca, from Latin, magpie (from its omnivorous nature).]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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