Buildings/Housing/Parks

Pie Car

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus performs often at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but the circus is also frequently on the road. The performers are fed in a railroad…

Pie-Off

A "pie-off" is like a "bake-off," except only pies can be entered in the baking competition. The "cook-off" is the original of the "-off" words to describe…

Pie-oneer (pie + pioneer)

"Pie-oneer" (pie + pioneer) is a jocular portmanteau word, usually used to describe a "first" involving a pie. "The old time pastry cooks have organized a pie-oneer…

Piecaken (pie + cake + turducken)

"Piecaken" (pie + cake) is a dish that was inspired by "turducken" (turkey + duck+ chicken). Several pies are all made into a cake. CakeSpy's "Cookie Cake Pie" in…

Pig Pickin’ Cake

"Pig Pickin's Cake" has been cited in print since at least March 1975, when The Robesonian (Lumberton, NC) stated, "The hostesses served 'pig-picking' cake, so named…

Piggy Bank

A "piggy bank" is a vessel where money can be inserted; it was originally shaped like a pig, but can be other animals and objects. "Pig bank" is cited in print from 1895 and…

Pilgrim

"Pilgrim" was a term used from at least the 1860s to refer to a new person to the West -- a "greenhorn" or "tenderfoot." It's said that the "pilgrim"…

Piloncillo (Mexican Brown Sugar)

Piloncillo is unrefined brown sugar from Mexico that comes in a small conical shape. Piloncillo is served in drinks such as Cafe de Olla and champurrado., and the sugar can also be used in moles…

Pimp Steak (hot dog)

A "pimp steak" a frankfurter or hot dog. The term was used in Harlem in the 1940s-1950s and refers to an "inexpensive" steak. "Fine Fur Frankfurter — Pimp-steak" was…

PIMPCO (PIMCO nickname)

PIMCO (the Pacific Investment Management Company) was founded in 1971; it now has over a trillion dollars in investments. "PIMPCO" is an obvious nickname, used by those who believe that…

Pine Curtain

East Texas is home to the Piney Woods. For some people, the wooded area is the "pine curtain" -- another "-curtain" expression borrowed from Winston Churchill's famous…

Pink Lemonade

Pink lemonade is popularly associated with the circus; there are various origination stories involving pink circus tights and dubious water. Pete Conklin claimed to have invented pink lemonade at…