From Old Frenchpincer, pincier(“to pinch, find fault”), from Vulgar Latin*pincāre, a nasalised variant of *piccāre(“to pick, pierce”), from Frankish*pikkōn, from Proto-Germanic*pikōną*pukaną(“to pick, peck, prick, knock”), from Proto-Indo-European*bew-(“to make a dull sound”).