Pickney means: Child. "Pickney dem" = the children. Used affectionately or descriptively.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Definitions
Child. "Pickney dem" = the children. Used affectionately or descriptively.
"How the pickney dem?"
Pickney means: Child. "Pickney dem" = the children. Used affectionately or descriptively.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
pickney means: Child. "Pickney dem" = the children. Used affectionately or descriptively.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Pikkie is a South African informal term for a young child or infant, used affectionately in everyday speech, particularly in Cape Afrikaans-influenced English. It has the endearing quality of many diminutives in South African English and Afrikaans and is typically deployed in a warm, fond register by family members or close community members talking about small children. Not generally considered offensive in South African usage, though connotations can vary by community context.
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(South Africa) child, infant.
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(Caribbean, Jamaica, derogatory) A person with short, curly, thin hair.
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(US, dialect, Appalachia) Sickness, weakness.
- pekkie56%
(South Africa, ethnic slur, offensive, derogatory) A black person.