partridge
partridge Lexical Profile
partridge Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A medium-sized, stout-bodied game bird of the pheasant family (Phasianidae), native to Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, typically featuring brown, gray, and reddish plumage.
"During the autumn hunting season, the fields were carefully managed to support a healthy population of partridge."
North American Any of several native North American game birds, such as the ruffed grouse or the northern bobwhite quail.
"While walking through the New England woods, he startled a partridge that burst from the underbrush with a loud drumming of wings."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American colloquial usage, the term 'partridge' is frequently applied to native game birds like the ruffed grouse or northern bobwhite, whereas in Europe it strictly refers to Old World birds of the genera Perdix or Alectoris.
• Rhymes for partridge
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'partriche', from Old French 'perdriz', ultimately from Latin 'perdix', borrowed from Ancient Greek 'pérdix'. The Greek name is believed to derive from 'pérdomai' (to break wind), supposedly echoing the whirring sound of the bird's wings when it is flushed.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.