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piggy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

B1
UK/ˈpɪɡ.i/US/ˈpɪɡ.i/

Informal, playful, childish

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Quick answer

What does “piggy” mean?

A small or young pig.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A small or young pig; something resembling a pig, especially in shape or through its association with saving money.

An affectionate or childlike term for a pig; a small, closed container for saving coins, traditionally shaped like a pig (piggy bank); by extension, a childish or playful reference to someone's saving habits or a personal fund.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Both varieties use 'piggy' (piggy bank) identically. As a term for a child's riding toy, 'rocking horse' is more common in UK, but 'rocking piggy' is very rare in both. No significant spelling or primary usage differences.

Connotations

Equally childish/affectionate in both. The term 'piggy' alone, without 'bank', might be slightly more readily understood as 'greedy' in UK contexts (e.g., 'a bit piggy').

Frequency

Equally common in the compound 'piggy bank'. Standalone use as a noun for a real pig is less frequent in adult speech in both regions.

Grammar

How to Use “piggy” in a Sentence

[have/break/shake] a piggy bankThis little piggy [went to market...]

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
piggy banklittle piggy
medium
break the piggypiggy backpiggy eyes
weak
piggy savingspiggy fundplastic piggy

Examples

Examples of “piggy” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • He had rather piggy eyes.
  • It was a bit piggy to take the last biscuit.

American English

  • She gave him a piggy smile as she took more candy.
  • That was a piggy move, eating all the pizza.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Informal metaphor for a departmental budget or reserve fund ('We had to raid the project piggy bank').

Academic

Virtually never used, except in studies of language acquisition (child speech) or material culture (history of savings).

Everyday

Common in family contexts relating to children's savings, toys, or playful speech.

Technical

Not used.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “piggy”

Neutral

savings bankcoin bank

Weak

money boxsavings box

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “piggy”

spending spreedigital wallet

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “piggy”

  • Using 'piggy' in formal writing.
  • Incorrectly pluralising as 'piggys' instead of 'piggies'.
  • Confusing 'piggy' (noun/adjective) with 'piggyback' (adverb/verb).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is informal and often used in childish or playful contexts.

Both can mean a young pig. 'Piglet' is the standard zoological term. 'Piggy' is more affectionate and childish, and it has the strong additional meaning of a 'piggy bank'.

Yes, but usually in a mild, childish way (e.g., 'You're being a greedy piggy!'). As an adjective ('piggy eyes'), it can be more negatively descriptive.

The origin is unclear. One theory links it to the English word 'pygg', a type of clay used for pots in which people saved money. Over time, the name was associated with the animal.

A small or young pig.

Piggy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɪɡ.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɪɡ.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “This little piggy went to market (nursery rhyme)”
  • “break the piggy bank”
  • “piggyback ride (related, but a distinct compound)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a small, round PIG shaped like the letter 'G' - a PIG-G-Y is a cute, little pig.

Conceptual Metaphor

SAVINGS ARE A CONTAINER (the piggy bank); GREED/GLUTTONY IS PIG-LIKE BEHAVIOUR ('acting piggy').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
When I was a child, I saved all my pennies in a colourful .
Multiple Choice

In the nursery rhyme 'This little piggy...', what does 'piggy' refer to?