peafowl

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of several large pheasant-family birds whose males are peacocks and females are peahens, especially species of Pavo and Afropavo

   The peafowl gathered near the garden while the male spread his brilliant train.

Formed from pea-, an old shortened element from peacock, + fowl. Peacock ultimately continues Latin pavo through Old English, while peafowl arose as a sex-neutral collective name for the birds.

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