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The meaning and origin of the expression: Piggy-wiggy

Piggy-wiggy

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Piggy-wiggy'?

'Piggy-wiggy' is a pet name for a pig.

It is also used as a term of endearment or, as an insult, a reference to someone who is overweight.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Piggy-wiggy'?

What's the meaning and origin of the phrase 'Piggy-wiggy'?We now associate the word piggy with the language of the nursery. In the 17th century it was a widely used name for a pig.

In the 19th century piggy was also used as the name of a hedgehog and people today still often refer to them as hedgepigs.

'Piggy' led directly to two other commonplace words - piggyback and piggy-bank.

The 16th century expression 'pick pack on your back' evolved into 'pick-a-back' and later, in the 19th century, to piggyback.

Piggy-banks were invented in the early 20th century. Originally, these were made of earthenware and had to be smashed in order to retrieve the savings inside - which sounds like fun.

The first example I can find of the word piggy in print is in Francis Bacon's collection of Apophthegmes New and Old, 1625:

There was a Ladie of the West Country, that gave great Entertainment at her house to most of the gallant Gentlemen thereabout: And amongst others, Sir Walter Ralegh was one. This Lady, though otherwise a stately Dame, was a notable good Huswife; and in the morning betimes, she called to one of her Maids, that lookt to the Swine, and askt; Is the piggy served?

It appears from the context of the above that what the lady was asking was "Is the pig to be served for breakfast?".

The first example I can find of the use 'piggy-wiggy' is in Rattle for Grown Children a collection of songs and poems by ‘Young D'Urfey’, 1766, in the lyric of a song called St. Anthony and His Pig:

O my pretty piggy-wiggy,
More sweet than is the figgy,
That grows on yonder twiggy,
Or sugar candy;
My love for thee surpasses
All that which pretty lasses
Have for their looking-glasses,
Or Tristram Shandy

See other phrases associated with Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (1561–1626):

If the mountain will not come to Muhammad
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing
Hostage to Fortune
The last words of Francis Bacon

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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