Forms: 6 ciche-, chiche-, 6–7 cich-, 7–8 chich-, 8– chick-. [In 16–17th c. cich-pease, chich-pease, f. cich, CHICH + PEASE, after F. pois chiche (earlier simply chiche); but in the 18th c. altered (by some error) to chick-pea (cf. chichling, CHICKLING).
Chick-pea is used in Lisle 1752, and is the form adopted by Johnson 1755: he names Miller as his authority; but Miller’s word is chick pease.]
A dwarf species of pea (Cicer arietinum), largely used for food in the South of Europe, in Asia, and in Africa. Its earlier name was simply cich, CHICH.
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes, Cicer may be named in english Cich, or ciche pease, after the frenche tonge.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 28 a. Ciche-peasen sodden.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, 479. The tame Ciche Peason is a smal kinde of pulse almost like to a lentil.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 570. Many sorts there be of these cich-pease.
1605. Camden, Rem., 64. Beanes, lentill, and chich-pease. Ibid., 149. That little pulse which wee call … a chice peas.
1639. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., xii. § 128. The red pease, the cich-pease, lupines, the vetch.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 138. As large as a Chich Pea.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1752), 89. Of chick peas and chicklings, and peas three modii.
1750. Phil. Trans., XLVII. 136. Flour of Chich-pease or vetch.
1755. Johnson, Chick peas, a kind of degenerate pea.
1759. Miller, Gard. Dict. (ed. 7), Cicer or Chich pease … Chich pease with sawed leaves … Garden Chich pease, [etc.].
1855. J. F. Johnston, Chem. Com. Life, I. 106. The chick pea, the gram of the East.
