popinjay

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English

Etymology

From Middle English popinjay, popyngeay, popingay, popejay, 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 (babḡāʔ, “parrot”), of imitative origin.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) enPR: pŏʹpĭnjā, IPA(key): /ˈpɒpɪnd͡ʒeɪ/
  • (US) enPR: päʹpĭnjā', IPA(key): /ˈpɑpənˌd͡ʒeɪ/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

popinjay (plural popinjays)

  1. (now archaic outside heraldry) A parrot.
  2. (obsolete) A decorative image of a parrot on a tapestry, cloth etc.
  3. (dated) A vain, gaudy person; someone who is shallow or superficial.
    • 1881, Alfred Ayres , “Nicely”, in The Verbalist‎:
      The very quintessence of popinjay vulgarity is reached when nicely is made to do service for well, in this wise: "How do you do?" "Nicely." "How are you?" "Nicely."
  4. (archery) A target to shoot at, typically stuffed with feathers or plumage.
  5. (UK) The green woodpecker, Picus viridis.

Translations

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