Why is it called a tick? - briefly
The term originates from the ticking sound of early mechanical clocks, traced to Old English ticcian meaning “to make a short, sharp sound.” The same word was later applied to the arachnid because its brief, rapid movement resembles a clock’s tick.
Why is it called a tick? - in detail
The word “tick” derives from Old English tician or ticken, meaning “to make a short, sharp sound.” The same root appears in Middle Dutch tikken and Old High German zichen, all describing a brief, crisp noise. Early English writers used “tick” to label the characteristic sound of a clock or watch, a sound produced by the escapement mechanism as the gear teeth engage. This auditory association transferred to other contexts where a similar, rapid, repetitive noise occurs.
When the term was applied to the small arachnid, the link is visual rather than acoustic. The insect’s body resembles a tiny, rounded “tick” mark, and its sudden, quick bite evokes the notion of a brief, sharp event, mirroring the original sense of a fleeting impulse. Early taxonomic descriptions in the 18th century adopted the common name because the creature’s appearance matched the familiar “tick” shape.
In finance, “tick” denotes the smallest permissible price movement of a security. The definition reflects the idea of a minimal, discrete step, analogous to the minimal sound of a clock’s tick. Traders use the term to describe price changes that are as slight as a single audible beat.
Computing inherits the same principle. A “tick” in software timing represents a single unit of processor cycles or a minimal interval in a scheduler. The term emphasizes the granularity of measurement, again echoing the notion of a tiny, regular pulse.
Key points of the etymology:
- Originates from Old English tician → “to make a short sound.”
- First applied to clock noises; later extended to visual resemblance (arachnid) and minimal increments (finance, computing).
- Consistent theme: a brief, distinct, and repeatable event, whether auditory, visual, or quantitative.