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pict

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Pict

[pikt]
–noun
a member of an ancient people of uncertain origin who inhabited parts of northern Britain, fought against the Romans, and in the 9th century a.d. united with the Scots.

Origin:
bef. 900; back formation from ME Pictes (pl.) < L Pictī lit., painted ones, pl. of pictus, ptp. of pingere to paint; r. ME Peghttes, OE Peohtas, Pihtas ≪ L, as above
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Pict   (pĭkt)   
n.  One of an ancient people of northern Britain. They remained undefeated by the Romans and in the ninth century joined with the Scots to form a kingdom later to become Scotland.

[From Middle English Pictes, Picts, from Late Latin Pictī, from Latin pictī, pl. of pictus, painted; see picture.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

Pict 
an ancient people of Great Britain, 1387, from L.L. Picti (late 3c., probably a nickname given them by Roman soldiers), usually taken as derived from picti "painted," but probably ultimately from the Celtic name of the tribe, perhaps Pehta, Peihta, lit. "the fighters" (cf. Gaul. Pictavi, who gave the name to the Fr. city of Poitiers). They painted and tattooed themselves, which may have suggested a Roman folk-etymology alteration of the name. The O.E. name for the people was Peohtas.
"In Scottish folk-lore the Pechts are often represented as a dark pygmy race, or an underground people; and sometimes identified with elves, brownies, or fairies." [OED]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

PICT file format
An Apple graphics format.
[Details?]
(1997-06-06)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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