1
: one trillionth (10−12) part of
picogram
2
: very small
picornavirus

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, probably from Spanish pico small amount, literally, peak, beak

Dictionary Entries Near pico-

Cite this Entry

“Pico-.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pico-. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pico-

combining form
pi·​co-
ˈpē-kō,
-kə
: one trillionth part of
Etymology

probably from Spanish pico "small amount," literally, "peak, beak"

More from Merriam-Webster on pico-

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!