Spic
/spɪk/noun
An offensive ethnic slur for a Hispanic or Spanish-speaking person.
Did you know?The popular claim that it comes from “no speak English” is considered a folk etymology; scholars more often connect it with older forms such as “spiggoty,” though the origin remains uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
English
spiggoty / spickety
“Earlier slang forms used disparagingly for Spanish-speaking people, especially in the Caribbean and the United States.”
Early 20th Century
English
spic
“A shortened or variant form emerging as an ethnic insult for a Hispanic or Spanish-speaking person.”
1930s–1940s
English
spic
“The slur becomes increasingly recorded in American English, particularly in contexts involving Mexican and other Latin American communities.”
Late 20th Century
English
spic
“A widely recognized racial or ethnic slur, condemned in formal and public usage.”
Modern English
English
spic
“An offensive term encountered mainly in historical discussion, quotations, reclaimed usage, or hate speech.”