pheasant

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A bird of family Phasianidae, often hunted for food.

   The ſpring diſplaying her elegant taſte, the proud walk of the gold-feathered pheaſant, the light tread of the ſmall-hoofed hind, and the dancing of the ſtar-trained peacock, infuſed joy into the ſoul of the ſpectator of the aſtoniſhing works of the Creator.

2. 2
   noun

   The meat of this bird, eaten as food.

   Tables were laid with cold pheasant, watercressy finger foods, sweets sufficient to give the Greater Raleigh Area sugar shock.

3. 3
   noun

   large long-tailed gallinaceous bird native to the Old World but introduced elsewhere

4. 4
   noun

   flesh of a pheasant

Simplified etymology

Pheasant ultimately takes its name from the Phasis, the ancient name of the River Rion in present-day Georgia. The Greeks believed the bird came from that region and called it the bird of Phasis; its association with the surrounding region of Colchis survives in the scientific name Phasianus colchicus.

From Middle English fesaunt, fesant, from Old French fesan, from Latin phāsiānus, from Ancient Greek φᾱσιανός (phāsianós), meaning “[bird] of the river Φᾶσις (Phâsis)”, from where, it was supposed, the bird spread to the west. Replaced native Old English wōrhana, a variant of mōrhana. More at moorhen.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary