pica
/ˈpaɪkə/
noun
- A unit of measurement used in printing and typography, equal to 12 points or about 1/6 of an inch.
- The margins of the document were set to 1 pica on each side.
- In typography, a pica is slightly larger than a point.
- The designer set the column width to 12 picas.
- A medical condition in which a person craves and eats non-food substances, such as dirt, clay, or ice.
- Pica can be caused by nutritional deficiencies, such as low iron levels.
- Children with pica may eat things like sand or paint chips, which can be dangerous.
- The doctor diagnosed the patient with pica after finding she had been eating chalk.