Etymology tree
Dutch pinkenbor.
English pink
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Old English -iġ
Middle English -y
English -y
English pinky
From pink + -y.
Meanings
Pinkish.
In a pinky paper all folded neat,
And they fastened it down with a pin. 1871, Edward Lear, The Jumblies:
Etymology tree
Dutch pinkenbor.
English pink
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Old English -iġ
Middle English -y
English -y
English pinky
From pink + -y.
Meanings
(Australia, historical, slang, uncountable) Methylated spirits mixed with red wine or Condy's crystals.
“Here,” Nigel greeted him, “do try a spot of ‘pinky,’ it's ever so much fun, really.” 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage, published 2007, page 262:
(countable, uncountable) A baby mouse, especially when used as food for a snake, etc.
(countable, ethnic, offensive, slang, slur, uncountable) A white person.
(Australia, countable, informal, uncountable) The Australasian snapper or pink snapper (Chrysophrys auratus).
You may get some pinkies around the Black Rock area, but the snapper *run* is normally from late October to mid January, although it sounds like the odd adult fish is still lurking.. 2001 May 3, Lindsay Vincent, “Re: snapper fishing in Victoria”, in aus.sport.fishing (Usenet):
(countable, historical, uncountable) A kind of fishing schooner of New England.
From Dutch pinkje, diminutive of Dutch pink (“little finger”). Cognate with West Frisian pinke (“pinky”), dialectal English pink (“something small or tiny”), and perhaps to Old English pinca (“a point”). Compare also German Low German Pink (“penis”), English pintle (“penis”).
Meanings
(Australia, Canada, Scotland, US, informal) The smallest finger or toe of a hand or foot.
Everyday ^([sic]) as he passes them, the hookers wave at him with their pinkies and say, “Hi there, little boy!” 2003, Billoo Badhshah, The Unofficial Joke Book of Australia, page 126: