peckish

5 7.3

Feeling a little hungry and wanting a snack

adjective
/ˈpɛkɪʃ/

: hambriento

I'm feeling quite peckish.
feel peckish
a little bit peckish

You're everything getting a little bit peckish.

Examples

Hey, Reggie boy, pass us one of them buns, I'm feeling a bit peckish.

The Leather Boys (1964)
I was going for a walk, and I thought I might get peckish.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
Mind you... I am feeling a bit peckish.

I Sell the Dead (2008)
Is anyone else getting peckish?

Hell of a Summer (2023)
I am a little peckish.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
In case you get peckish.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1989)
I'm feeling a little peckish.

The Magic Roundabout (2004)
If you're feeling a bit peckish, now's a good time to grab a quick bite to eat.

Blog text (7)
I'm a little peckish.

Sex After Kids (2013)
If you're feeling a bit peckish, now's a good time to grab a quick bite to eat.

Synonyms

hungry

vspeckish

∞ 1.0

Feeling a need to eat

is a weaker feeling limited to wanting only a small amount of food

snacky

vspeckish

Informal

1 5.0

Wanting to eat small things between meals

is a one-time mild desire for only a small amount of food

munchy

vspeckish

Slang

7.5

Feeling slightly hungry and wanting to eat a snack

is a milder wish for just a small quick bite rather than a strong urge

empty-bellied

vspeckish

4.1

Feeling hungry and weak

is milder and refers to wanting just a little to eat

Antonyms

full

853 1.0

Not wanting more food or drink after eating enough

How Hungry

starving

1 1.4

hungry

∞ 1.0

peckish

5 7.3

full

853 1.0

Surface Forms

peckish positive

Morphology

peckish = peck (transparent) = peck + ish

The adjective is formed by adding the productive suffix '-ish' to 'peck', yielding 'somewhat inclined to peck (i.e., take small bites)', so the meaning follows directly from the base.

Etymology

Peckish comes from the verb peck, which means 'to pick or bite at food like a bird', giving the picture of taking small bites. So, to be peckish is 'a little hungry' or wanting a small snack.