A small, plump bird that lives on the ground and is often hunted or farmed for its meat and eggs.
From Middle English *quaille*, from Old French *quaille*. The deeper origin is uncertain, but it has long referred to small game birds in Europe.
Quail eggs are tiny compared to chicken eggs, but in some cuisines they’re considered fancier and more delicate. There’s also a verb *to quail* meaning 'to shrink back in fear', but that actually comes from a different old root.
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