Feeling slightly hungry but not starving, usually used when you want a small snack rather than a full meal.
From 'peck,' which originally meant 'to peck at food like a bird,' plus the suffix '-ish' (somewhat). The term is primarily British English, dating to around the 1800s.
This is quintessentially British slang—Americans would just say 'hungry,' but the British invented a word for that specific 'I could nibble on something' feeling, showing how language reflects cultural eating patterns!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.