Beak
/biːk/noun
The hard, pointed mouthpart of a bird, or a similar projecting mouthpart in some other animals.
Did you know?English beak was once a word for a protruding point or nib, and its history may be tied to a Celtic source that also gave Latin biacca, meaning a pick or spike-like object.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
PCelt
*bekko-
“a point, spike, or projecting beak-like shape”
Latin
Latin
beccus
“a beak or bill, especially of a bird”
Late Latin
Latin
beccum
“a beak, bill, or pointed mouthpart”
Old French
OF
bec
“beak; bill; point; spout”
Middle English
English
bek
“a bird’s beak or bill”
Modern English
English
beak
“the hard projecting mouthpart of a bird”