popinjay

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman papegai, papejoie et al., (northern) Old French papejai (“parrot”), probably from Old Occitan papagay (compare Occitan papagai, Catalan papagai), ultimately from Arabic بَبْغَاء‎ (babḡāʾ, “parrot”), of imitative origin.

Pronunciation

(UK) enPR: pŏʹpĭnjā, IPA^(key): /ˈpɒpɪndʒeɪ/
(US) enPR: päʹpĭnjā', IPA^(key): /ˈpɑpənˌdʒeɪ/

Noun

popinjay (plural popinjays)

(now archaic) A parrot. [from 14th c.]
(obsolete) A decorative image of a parrot on a tapestry, cloth etc. [14th-16th c.]
(heraldry) A heraldic representation of a parrot. [from 15th c.]
A vain, gaudy person; someone who is shallow or superficial. [from 16th c.]
(archery) A target to shoot at, typically stuffed with feathers or plumage. [from 16th c.]
(Britain) The green woodpecker, Picus viridis. [from 19th c.]

Translations

parrot — see parrot

decorative image of a parrot

Finnish: papukaija (fi)

heraldic representation of a parrot

Finnish: papukaija (fi)

vain, gaudy person

Arabic: سطحي‎ m, سطحية‎ f
Dutch: windbuil (nl), verwaand heerschap, kwastl
Finnish: pintaliitäjä

Macedonian: конте n (kónte), гиздавец m (gízdavec)
Russian: фат (ru) (fat), щёголь (ru) (ščógolʹ)
Spanish: pisaverde (es), gomoso (es)

archery: target to shoot at

Dutch: gaai (nl)

Finnish: papukaija (fi) (rare); maali (fi)

Picus viridis — see green woodpecker

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