Online Etymology Dictionary

pilot-fish (n.): 1630s, from pilot (n.) + fish (n.). So called because they were thought to lead sharks to prey.
piloted (adj.): 1945, past participle adjective from pilot (v.).
pilsner (n.): type of pale, hoppy lager beer, 1877, after Pilsen, German town in Bohemia (Czech Plzen) where it first was brewed. Now designating a type, not an origin; pilsner from Plzen is Pilsner Urquell, from German Urquell "primary source." The place name is from Old Czech plz "damp, moist." Related: Pils.
Piltdown: village in Sussex, England, site where a fossil humanoid skull was said to have been found (1912), proved a fraud in 1953.
Pima: Uto-Aztecan people of Arizona, from Spanish, probably from native pi ma:c "(I) don't know," given in answer to some question long ago and mistaken by the Spaniards as a tribal name. Related: Piman.
pimento (n.): 1680s, pimiento (modern form from 1718), from Spanish pimiento "green or red pepper," also pimienta "black pepper," from Late Latin pigmenta, plural of pigmentum "vegetable juice," from Latin pigmentum "pigment" (see pigment (n.)). So called because it added a dash of color to food or drink.
[I]n med.L. spiced drink, hence spice, pepper (generally), Sp. pimiento, Fr. piment are applied to Cayenne or Guinea pepper, capsicum; in Eng. the name has passed to allspice or Jamaica pepper. [OED]
The piece of red sweet pepper stuffed in a pitted olive so called from 1918, earlier pimiento (1901), from Spanish. French piment is from Spanish.
pimp (n.): c.1600, of unknown origin, perhaps from Middle French pimpant "alluring in dress, seductive," present participle of pimper "to dress elegantly" (16c.), from Old French pimpelorer, pipelorer "decorate, color, beautify." Weekley suggests Middle French pimpreneau, defined in Cotgrave (1611) as "a knave, rascall, varlet, scoundrell," but Liberman is against this.
Judging by such recorded meanings of pimp as 'helper in mines; servant in logging camps,' this word was originally applied to boys and servants. [Liberman]
The word also means "informer, stool pigeon" in Australia and New Zealand and in South Africa, where by early 1960s it existed in Swahili form impimpsi. Pimpmobile first recorded 1973 (six years before Popemobile).
PIMP. A male procurer, or cock bawd; also a small faggot used about London for lighting fires, named from introducing the fire to the coals. ["Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit and Pickpocket Eloquence," London, 1811]
pimp (v.): 1630s (intransitive) "to act as a pimp," from pimp (n.). Related: Pimped; pimping.
pimpernel (n.): c.1400, from Old French pimprenelle, earlier piprenelle (12c.) and directly from Medieval Latin pipinella name of a medicinal plant. This is perhaps from *piperinus "pepper-like" (so called because its fruits resemble peppercorns), a derivative of Latin piper "pepper" (see pepper (n.)); or else it is a corruption of bipinnella, from bipennis "two-winged." The Scarlet Pimpernel was the code name of the hero in an adventure novel of that name published 1905.
pimple (n.): late 14c. (early 14c. as a surname), of unknown origin; perhaps related to Old English pipligende "having shingles;" also cf. Latin papula, papilla (see pap (n.2)). As a verb from c.1600. Related: Pimples.
pimply (adj.): 1748, from pimple (n.) + -y (2). Related: Pimpliness.
pin (n.): late Old English pinn "peg, bolt," from Proto-Germanic *penn- "jutting point or peak" (cf. Old Saxon pin "peg," Old Norse pinni "peg, tack," Middle Dutch pin "pin, peg," Old High German pfinn, German Pinne "pin, tack") from Latin pinna "a feather, plume;" in plural "a wing;" also "fin, scoop of a water wheel;" also "a pinnacle; a promontory, cape; battlement" (e.g. in Luke iv:9 in Vulgate) and so applied to "points" of various sorts, from PIE *pet- (see pen (n.1)).

Latin pinna and penna "a feather, plume," in plural "a wing," are treated as identical in Watkins, etc., but regarded as separate (but confused) Latin words by Tucker and others, who derive pinna from PIE *spei- "sharp point" (cf. spike (n.1)) and see the "feather/wing" sense as secondary.

The modern slender wire pin is first attested by this name late 14c. Transferred sense of "leg" is recorded from 1520s and hold the older sense. Pin-money "annual sum allotted to a woman for personal expenses on dress, etc." is attested from 1620s. Pins and needles "tingling sensation" is from 1810. The sound of a pin dropping as a type of something all but silent is from 1775.
PIN: acronym for personal identification number, 1981, from the first reference used with redundant number.
pin (v.): mid-14c., "to affix with a pin," from pin (n.). Figurative use from 1570s. Related: Pinned; pinning. Sense of "to hold someone or something down so he or it cannot escape" is attested from 1740. In U.S., as a reference to the bestowal of a fraternity pin on a female student as an indication of a relationship, it is attested by 1938. Phrase pin down "define" is from 1951.
pin-ball (n.): as a type of game, 1907, from pin (n.) + ball (n.1). Originally of types of open-air bowling and basketball variation where the goal was to knock down a pin or pins. Earlier still it meant "pin-cushion." The tabletop pin-ball machine is attested from 1937.
pin-feather (n.): 1775, from pin (n.) + feather (n.).
pin-hole (n.): 1670s, from pin (n.) + hole (n.).
pin-stripe (adj.): 1882, from pin (n.) + stripe (n.). Figurative of "executive" by 1958.
pin-up (adj.): 1670s, from pin (v.) + up (adv.). From 1940, in reference to pictures of "winsome young ladies in daring undress" ("Life," May 6, 1940) such as soldiers pinned up on their dugout walls, etc. The thing itself is older than the name. The noun in this sense is recorded from 1943.
pina colada (n.): 1942, from Spanish piña colada, literally "strained pineapple." First element from Latin pinea (see pineapple). For second element, see colander.
pinafore (n.): "sleeveless apron worn by children," 1782, from pin (v.) + afore "on the front." So called because it was originally pinned to a dress front.
pinata (n.): 1887, from Mexican Spanish piñata, in Spanish literally "jug, pot," ultimately from Latin pinea "pine cone," from pinus (see pine (n.)).
pinball (n.): also pin-ball, game played on a sloping surface, 1911, from pin (n.) + ball (n.1). Earlier it meant "a pincushion" (1803).
pince-nez (n.): folding eyeglasses, 1876, French, literally "pinch-nose," from pincer "to pinch" (see pinch (v.)) + nez "nose" (see nose (n.)).
pincers (n.): early 14c., "tool for grasping or nipping," from Old French pinceure "pincers, tongs," from pincier "to pinch" (see pinch). Applied to animal parts from 1650s. Related: Pincer.
pinch (v.): early 13c., from Old North French *pinchier "to pinch, squeeze, nip; steal" (Old French pincier, Modern French pincer), of uncertain origin, possibly from Vulgar Latin *punctiare "to pierce," which might be a blend of Latin punctum "point" + *piccare "to pierce." Meaning "to steal" in English is from 1650s. Sense of "to be stingy" is recorded from early 14c. Related: Pinched; pinching.
pinch (n.): late 15c., "critical juncture" (as in baseball pinch hitter, attested from 1912), from pinch (v.). This figurative sense is attested earlier than the literal sense of "act of pinching" (1590s) or that of "small quantity" (as much as can be pinched between a thumb and finger), which is from 1580s. There is a use of the noun from mid-15c. apparently meaning "fold or pleat of fabric."
pincushion (n.): 1630s, from pin (n.) + cushion (n.).
Pindaric (adj.): 1630s, pertaining to or in the style of Pindar, from Latin Pindaricus, from Greek Pindaros, Greek lyric poet (c.522-443 B.C.E.).
pine (n.): "coniferous tree," Old English pin (in compounds), from Old French pin and directly from Latin pinus "pine, pine-tree, fir-tree," perhaps in reference to the sap or pitch, from PIE *peie- "to be fat, swell" (see fat (adj.)). Cf. Sanskrit pituh "juice, sap, resin," pitudaruh "pine tree," Greek pitys "pine tree." Also cf. pitch (n.1). Pine-top "cheap illicit whiskey," first recorded 1858, Southern U.S. slang. Pine-needle (n.) attested from 1866.
pine (v.): Old English pinian "to torture, torment, afflict, cause to suffer," from *pine "pain, torture, punishment," possibly ultimately from Latin poena "punishment, penalty," from Greek poine (see penal). A Latin word borrowed into Germanic (cf. Middle Dutch pinen, Old High German pinon, German Pein, Old Norse pina) with Christianity. Intransitive sense of "to languish, waste away," the main modern meaning, is first recorded early 14c. Related: Pined; pining.
pine cone (n.): 1690s, from pine (n.) + cone (n.). An earlier word for it was pine nut (Old English pinhnyte); also see pineapple.
pine-barren (n.): 1731, American-English, from pine (n.) + barren (n.).
pine-tree (n.): Old English pintreow; see pine (n.) + tree (n.).
pineal (adj.): 1680s, in reference to the gland in the brain, from French pinéal, literally "like a pine cone," from Latin pinea "pine cone," from pinus "pine tree" (see pine (n.)).
pineapple (n.): late 14c., "pine cone," from pine (n.) + apple. The reference to the fruit of the tropical plant (from resemblance of shape) is first recorded 1660s, and pine cone emerged 1690s to replace pineapple in its original sense except in dialect. For "pine cone," Old English also used pinhnyte "pine nut."
ping (n.): 1835, imitative of the sound of a bullet striking something sharply. Meaning "short, high-pitched electronic pulse" is attested from 1943. As a verb from 1855; in computer sense is from at least 1981. Related: Pinged; pinging.
ping-pong (n.): 1900, as Ping-Pong, trademark for table tennis equipment (Parker Brothers). Both words are imitative of the sound of the ball hitting a hard surface; from ping + pong (attested from 1823). It had a "phenomenal vogue" in U.S. c.1900-1905.
ping-pong (v.): 1901, from ping-pong (n.). In the figurative sense from 1952. Related: Ping-ponged; ping-ponging.
pinguid (adj.): 1630s, from Latin pinguis "fat (adj.), juicy," figuratively "dull, gross, heavy; comfortable," from stem of pinguere, from PIE *pei- "fat, sap, juice" (see pine (n.)).
pinhead (n.): also pin-head, "head of a pin," 1660s, from pin (n.) + head (n.). Meaning "person of small intelligence" is from 1896.
pinion (n.1): "wing joint, segment of a bird's wing," mid-15c., from Old French pignon "wing-feather, wing, pinion" (c.1400), from Vulgar Latin *pinnionem (nominative *pinnio), augmentative of Latin pinna "wing" (see pin (n.)).
pinion (n.2): "small wheel with teeth to gear with a larger one" (as in rack and pinion), 1650s, from French pignon "pinion" (16c.), literally "gable," from Old French pignon "pointed gable, summit," from Vulgar Latin *pinnionem, augmentative of Latin pinna "battlement, pinnacle" (see pin (n.)).
pinion (v.): "disable by binding the arms," 1550s, older in English than literal sense "cut or bind the pinions (of a bird's wing) to prevent flying" (1570s); from pinion (n.1). Related: Pinioned.
pink (n., adj.): 1570s, common name of Dianthus, a garden plant of various colors, of unknown origin. Its use for "pale rose color" first recorded 1733 (pink-coloured is recorded from 1680s), from one of the colors of the flowers. The plant name is perhaps from pink (v.) via notion of "perforated" petals, or from Dutch pink "small" (see pinkie), from the term pinck oogen "half-closed eyes," literally "small eyes," which was borrowed into English (1570s) and may have been used as a name for Dianthus, which sometimes has pale red flowers.

The flower meaning led (by 1590s) to a figurative use for "the flower" or finest example of anything (e.g. Mercutio's "Nay, I am the very pinck of curtesie," Rom. & Jul. II.iv.61). Political noun sense "person perceived as left of center but not entirely radical (i.e. red)" is attested by 1927, but the image dates to at least 1837. Pink slip "discharge notice" is first recorded 1915. To see pink elephants "hallucinate from alcoholism" first recorded 1913 in Jack London's "John Barleycorn."
pink (v.): c.1200, pungde "pierce, stab," later (early 14c.) "make holes in; spur a horse," of uncertain origin; perhaps from a Romanic stem that also yielded French piquer, Spanish picar (see pike (n.2)). Or perhaps from Old English pyngan and directly from Latin pungere "to prick, pierce" (see pungent). Surviving mainly in pinking shears.
pink-collar (adj.): in reference to jobs generally held by women, 1977, from pink (adj.), considered a characteristically feminine color, + collar (n.).
pink-eye (n.): contagious eye infection, 1882, American English, from pink (adj.) + eye (n.).
Pinkerton (n.): "semi-official detective," 1888, from the detective agency begun in U.S. 1850 by Allan Pinkerton (1819-1884).
pinkie (n.): "the little finger," 1808, in Scottish, from Dutch pinkje, diminutive of pink "little finger," of uncertain origin.