Definitions

1. noun

A condition in which people crave and eat non-food items, such as dirt or chalk.

“She has a mild case of pica, where she occasionally eats her hair.”

2. noun

A type of bird, particularly the magpie, that is known for collecting shiny objects.

“The pica perched on the windowsill, its bright feathers catching the sun’s rays.”

3. noun

A type of type metal or a type of printing type, especially in the 19th century.

“The old printing press used a variety of pica fonts to create the newspaper.”

4. noun

A unit of measurement, specifically 1/6 of an em, used in printing and typography.

“The designer carefully measured the text to fit within the pica margin.”

5. noun

A unit of length, equal to 1/6 of an em or 1/4 of a cicero, used in printing and typography.

“The typographer adjusted the font size to be 12 pica, making it easier to read.”

6. noun

A type of disease or disorder, especially in plants, caused by a parasitic fungus.

“The pica fungus infects the roots of the plant, causing it to wither and die.”