Partridge

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɑːtɹɪd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. A medium-sized game bird with a rounded body and short tail, typically found in grasslands and woodlands across temperate regions
2. A plump-bodied game fowl with a compact frame and abbreviated tail, inhabiting open fields and woodlands in moderate climates
3. A stocky gallinaceous bird featuring rounded proportions and a short tail, commonly hunted in grassland and woodland habitats of temperate zones

Etymology: The Greek name for this bird, "pérdix," is probably connected to "pérdomai," meaning "to fart," a link that English speakers rarely expect from a game bird. The sound is most likely imitative, referring to the bird's loud, explosive takeoff, though the exact reasoning behind the name is uncertain. The word traveled a long way before reaching English. Greek "pérdix" passed into Latin as "perdix," and from there into Old French as "perdriz" and "partriz." Middle English then borrowed the French form, producing spellings such as "partrich," "partriche," and "pertriche" before the modern spelling settled in. The English word thus carries a Greek joke about flatulence inside a respectable name for a bird of the fields and woodlands.

Synonyms: bird, gamebird