Partridge

/ˈpɑːtrɪdʒ/ noun

Definition

A plump game bird with brown feathers, or a character from the British comedy show 'I'm Alan Partridge'.

Etymology

From Old French 'perdrix' and Latin 'perdix', which came from Greek 'perdeek' (bird). The Greek word may be onomatopoetic, imitating the bird's call.

Kelly Says

The partridge became famous in 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' as the bird in a pear tree, but the original carol was probably describing actual medieval hunting birds prized for their meat and sport—not cute decorations! Medieval nobles would have paid good money for a trained partridge.

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