Etymology of Piker

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hello.

Hi, who’s this?

This is Ann.

Hello, Ann. Where are you calling from?

I’m calling from San Diego.

What’s going on, Ann?

Well, I was having a conversation recently with someone who reminded me of an expression that my parents and their generation used to use frequently, which was, I don’t want to be a piker, but in reference to not wanting to be considered a cheapskate, but at the same time not being willing to spend a lot of money on something. And I was wondering if you could tell me the origin of that particular phrase.

Yes. Yes, we can. As a matter of fact, do you gamble at all, Anne?

Oh, that’s a loaded question.

Will we see you out at the casino?

You might, but I promise not to recognize you.

Okay.

I wear dark glasses and a wig, so you wouldn’t anyway.

Okay.

But, Anne, what were the circumstances under which people were calling you a piker, or were you calling other people pikers?

In reference to spending money, not gambling, but in making purchases, particularly.

So you go out with friends to a restaurant and the check comes to the table and somebody says?

Let’s split it four ways.

And all you’ve had is a Diet Coke and the free crackers.

And a little parsley from somebody’s plate.

Yes.

And you’re the piker then, right?

Then you’re the piker.

Now, is it a fighting word where you come from?

Pardon me?

Is it a fighting word where you come from?

Is it the kind of thing that can make somebody really angry? Or is it just kind of a friendly little chat?

No, no, no.

It just said conversationally.

Okay.

Mm—

Well, the piker that you’re talking about, and I say it that way, the piker, because there are a couple, there are three different pikers, as a matter of fact. But the one that you’re talking about does indeed come from gambling. It comes from the early to mid-1800s. And it specifically originally referred to people who were kind of parsimonious at the gambling table, people who would make small wagers and, like, penny ante bets, just like really small-time players, not the kind of guys who would, or gals who would just throw a big bundle of cash around, or like, you know, another piker is a vagrant or a hobo.

Do you know that word?

No, never heard that one.

Yeah, there’s a little bit of merging them because they’ve kind of, all the meanings of piker have done a little reinforcing to mean just someone who’s kind of just generally disagreeable and not a good person to be around, someone who’s not reliable, shifty, and just untrustworthy in general.

I guess I am a piker then.

Are you shifty?

Well, no, no, no.

An unreliable?

No, wait.

When you place a quarter bet at the blackjack table.

No, wait, Anne, I was going back to the gambling idea. I’m just thinking that I’m a very timid gambler.

In Spanish, you call that being tight from the elbow.

Tight from the elbow.

Yeah.

All right, Anne, well, thanks for an interesting question.

Okay, thank you.

Nice talking with you.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

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