Peabody

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. The surname of George Peabody, a nineteenth-century financier and philanthropist ; a city in the northeastern state of Massachusetts in the United States
2. Named for George Peabody, a famous banker and charitable donor ; a town and city located north of Boston in Massachusetts
3. A family name tied to the philanthropist George Peabody ; a municipality in Essex County in the state of Massachusetts

Etymology: Peabody is a surname with an unexpectedly bird-based origin. It comes from Middle English "Pebody," formed from "pea," meaning peacock, and "body," meaning a person, so the name roughly means "peacock-person." Medieval English surnames often grew from nicknames or trades, and a name like this probably began as a description of someone's appearance, bearing, or showy manner. Today the word is best known as the name of George Foster Peabody, the American banker and philanthropist, and it was later given to the town of Peabody in Essex County, Massachusetts. Many places and institutions were named for him, so the word now points mainly to a person and a place rather than to a bird.