English word origin

Etymology of porky

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

singulative of pork (“law enforcement”)

adj

Resembling or characteristic of pork. · Rather fat; chubby.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *perḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *pórḱos Proto-Italic *porkos Latin porcus Old French porcbor. Middle English pork English pork Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English porky From pork + -y.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "pork",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *perḱ-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *pórḱos\nProto-Italic *porkos\nLatin porcus\nOld French porcbor.\nMiddle English pork\nEnglish pork\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish porky\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"piglet\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"dig\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*perḱ-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"thematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*pórḱos\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Italic\", \"term\" : \"*porkos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"itc-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"porcus\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"porc\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"pork\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"pork\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjectival\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-kos\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-gaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-g\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"porky\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"porky\">\nFrom pork + -y."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "pork",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *perḱ-\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *pórḱos\nProto-Italic *porkos\nLatin porcus\nOld French porcbor.\nMiddle English pork\nEnglish pork\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish porky\nFrom pork + -y."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*perḱ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/perḱ-#Proto-Indo-European:_dig"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_thematic"
    ],
    [
      "*pórḱos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pórḱos#Proto-Indo-European:_piglet"
    ],
    [
      "*porkos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/porkos"
    ],
    [
      "porcus",
      "porcus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "porc",
      "porc#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "pork",
      "pork#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "pork",
      "pork#English"
    ],
    [
      "*-kos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-kos#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-gaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-gaz#Proto-Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-g",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-g#Proto-West_Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-iġ",
      "-ig#Old_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#Middle_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ],
    [
      "pork",
      "pork#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "singulative of pork (“law enforcement”)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Multicultural-London-English",
        "form-of",
        "singulative",
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "2c3583f361b315be6e6f541b7a4bb59da27f9c5c871dcca03ad32029a768e057",
      "rawRecordSha256": "514d57f2835ebfc3389d06a7b477b6832abce737f5424ff9327f8cc27682823b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 244006
    },
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Resembling or characteristic of pork.",
        "Rather fat; chubby."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "86b7b7959f86ee2ffbd91741c753d66305155fc15c24fdbf5dcbc0a405158dc7",
      "rawRecordSha256": "c0f2105cd11d862cfd817c6f1c37a4407cc8a9f6c9b76172709016e12bf0f84f",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 244005
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A lie. · An eye.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of pork pie.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "pork pie"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of pork pie"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "pork pie",
      "pork pie#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A lie.",
        "An eye."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Cockney",
        "slang",
        "in-plural"
      ],
      "recordId": "133543bfe270c15ce6ef89220fec270a813f0938affdc97dec171073c18040ff",
      "rawRecordSha256": "acd64329f4f348e5219c0f23d044aa4de214157249e8cada1f0ed71e612b453d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 244007
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A porcupine.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of porcupine.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "porcupine"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of porcupine"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "porcupine",
      "porcupine#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A porcupine."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "childish",
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "ca425afab449087e726b6ef17b7e97ed3df030b7274c868247d17f8365e9eb70",
      "rawRecordSha256": "972fb3f48ea3dc3cd8bb3a38001d0d789c18372fd9cde07698d632795be812e0",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 244008
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for porky →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-cG9ya3k