GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 2 definitions

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    allotriophagy , n. [Gr. ἀλλότριος strange + φαγεῖν to eat: cf. F. allotriophagie.] (Med.) A depraved appetite; a desire for strange or nonnutritious food, such as clay or starch. Called also pica. AS
    1913 Webster
  2.       
    
    Pica , n. [L. pica a pie, magpie; in sense 3 prob. named from some resemblance to the colors of the magpie. Cf. Pie magpie.]
    1. (Zool.) The genus that includes the magpies.
      1913 Webster
    2. (Med.) A vitiated appetite that craves what is unfit for food, such as clay, chalk, ashes, coal, etc.; chthonophagia.
      Syn. -- allotriophagy.
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    3. (R. C. Ch.) A service-book. See Pie. [Obs.]
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    4. (Print.) A size of type next larger than small pica, and smaller than English.
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      This line is printed in pica

      1913 Webster

      Pica is twice the size of nonpareil, and is used as a standard of measurement in casting leads, cutting rules, etc., and also as a standard by which to designate several larger kinds of type, as double pica, two-line pica, four-line pica, and the like.

      1913 Webster

      Small pica (Print.), a size of type next larger than long primer, and smaller than pica.

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      This line is printed in small pica

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