English
peachy
Peachy comes from Old French pesche ‘peach (fruit)’, and goes back to Vulgar Latin *pessica.
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*pessicareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pesche‘peach (fruit)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500peche‘a peach’
- English1500–presentpeach
- Englishearliest quotation 1864peachy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*pessicareconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400pesche‘peach (fruit)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500peche‘a peach’
- English1500–presentpeach
- Englishearliest quotation 1864peachy
Earliest quotation: 1864, – 1865 November, Charles Dickens: “Young Fledgeby had a peachy cheek, or a cheek…”
A compound of peach + -y
Vulgar Latin *pessica
Old French pesche ‘peach (fruit)’
Middle French pesche
Middle English peche ‘a peach’
English peach
Every English word from Vulgar Latin *pessica
Today it means
adj Resembling a peach, peach-like.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Vulgar Latin *pessica / peachy