Pica
PIE-kuh
Genus
The magpie
Literally: A magpie
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pica | a magpie | Latin (pic, =a) | Nominative singular feminine noun; the ending -a is the Latin noun form, not a combining form |
A single-word genus name. It is a Latin feminine noun in the nominative singular, used as a substantive. The form pica (=a) is the standard Latin word for the magpie, so the name requires no further grammatical combination.
Pronunciation
- PIE-kuh Two-syllable word: stress falls on the penult (rule 1). The antepenult rule does not apply. Final -a = 'uh'.
Other readings
pic- (Latin) 'woodpecker; variegated' is a closely related root sharing the same stem — both senses reflect the same Latin word for bold black-and-white pied birds — but the =a form specifically denotes the magpie, which matches the genus (magpies and allies, Corvidae).
Pica is the type genus of magpies (family Corvidae). The Latin pica is cognate with picus ('woodpecker'), both from a root suggesting a pied or variegated bird. The -ic segment flagged by the scanner is an artifact of substring matching; it plays no role in this word.