pica

• Substantivo com dois sentidos distintos: termo médico para um transtorno alimentar que envolve a ingestão persistente de substâncias não nutritivas e uma unidade de medida tipográfica equivalente a 1/6 de polegada.

A noun with two distinct meanings: a medical term for an eating disorder involving the persistent consumption of non-nutritive substances, and a unit of measurement (1/6 inch) used in typography and printing.

1. Eating disorderC1formalmedical

   A condition characterized by a persistent craving and consumption of non-nutritive substances, such as dirt, clay, or paper, often seen in children or individuals with nutritional deficiencies.

   Pica

   • The child was diagnosed with pica after repeatedly eating chalk.
   • Pica can be linked to iron or zinc deficiencies.
   • Treatment for pica often involves addressing underlying nutritional issues.

2. Printing unitC1formal

   A unit of measurement used in typography, equal to 1/6 of an inch or approximately 4.2 millimeters.

   Paica

   • The font size was set to 12 pica for the body text.
   • A pica is commonly used to measure line lengths in printing.
   • The column width was adjusted to 20 pica.