"strong iron spike with an eye at one end through which a rope can be passed," 1898, from French piton "hook; peak of a mountain; piton, eyebolt," in Old French "nail, hook," from Vulgar Latin root *pitt- "point, peak" [Barnhart].
pithy
pitiable
pitiful
pitiless
Pitman
piton
pits
pit-saw
pittance
pitter
pitter-patter