Pict

views updated May 18 2018

Pict a member of an ancient people inhabiting northern Scotland in Roman times. Roman writings of around 300 ad apply the term Picti to the hostile tribes of the area north of the Antonine Wall. Their origins are uncertain, but they may have been a loose confederation of Celtic tribes. According to chroniclers the Pictish kingdom was united with that of the southern Scots under Kenneth I in about 844, and the name of the Picts as a distinct people gradually disappeared. The name comes from late Latin Picti, perhaps from pict- ‘painted, tattooed’, or perhaps influenced by a local name.
Picts' house any of various ancient dwellings in northern Scotland and the northern and western Isles, formerly thought to have been built by the Picts.

Pict

views updated Jun 11 2018

Pict one of an ancient people of N. Britain. XIV. — late L. Pictī, identical in form with pictī painted or tattooed people (pp. of L. pingere PAINT), adopted in OE. as Pihtas, var. Peohtas.

PICT

views updated May 29 2018

PICT A graphics file format mainly used in Macintosh applications.

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