Origin and history of spic

derogatory for "Latino person," 1913, from cliche protestation, No spick English. Earlier spiggoty (by 1907 "speak-a the ..."); the term is said to have originated among Americans in Panama during the canal construction. But it also was applied from an early date to Italians, and some have suggested an alteration of of influence from spaghetti. As "the Spanish language," by 1933.