speight

Alternative forms

• specht, spekt, spight

Etymology

1598, from earlier specht (1552, “woodpecker”), probably of Middle Dutch or Middle Low German origin, from Middle Low German specht (“wookpecker”), from Old Saxon speht (“woodpecker”), from Proto-Germanic *spihtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“a kind of bird, woodpecker, magpie”). Cognate with Dutch specht (“woodpecker”), German Specht (“woodpecker”), Danish spætte (“woodpecker”), Latin pīcus (“woodpecker”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /speɪt/
• Rhymes: -eɪt
• Homophone: spate

Noun

speight (plural speights)

1. (bird) a woodpecker.