• specht,spekt,spight

From lateNorthern Middle Englishspecht(“woodpecker”), fromOld English*spiht,*speoht, fromProto-West Germanic*spiht,*speht, fromProto-Germanic*spihtaz,*spehtaz, fromProto-Indo-European*(s)peyk-(“a kind of bird, woodpecker, magpie”).

Traditionally considered to be borrowed fromMiddle Dutch orMiddle Low German, but this is rendered problematic by the mention ofSpehtesberie inDomesday (Middle EnglishSpeghtesbury,Spettesbury; modernSpettisbury). CompareDutchspecht(“woodpecker”),GermanSpecht(“woodpecker”),Danishspætte(“woodpecker”),Latinpīcus(“woodpecker”).

• IPA^(key):/speɪt/,/spaɪt/
• Rhymes:-eɪt,-aɪt
• Homophones:spate,spite

speight (pluralspeights)

1. (obsolete,dialect) Awoodpecker.