Gamebirds

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A category of birds that are primarily pursued for recreational hunting and include multiple species renowned for their sporting appeal
2. A group of bird species that are targeted in hunting activities and are valued for their role in sport and cuisine
3. Birds that are typically sought after in hunting for sport or as a source of food

Etymology: "Gamebirds" is the plural of "gamebird," a compound of "game" and "bird." Its first element comes from Old English "gamen," meaning amusement, sport or play, and the word came to denote animals pursued for sport or food, a sense that gave the later "game" its association with hunting. "Bird" is an older English word whose own history is separate from this sense. The compound itself is transparent: a gamebird is a bird of the kind hunted as game, such as grouse, pheasant or partridge. Because the plural simply adds "s" to the compound, the word follows ordinary English grammar, and the same pattern produces "gamekeeper" and "gamebag" for the people and equipment linked to that hunting tradition.

Synonyms: fowl, birds