popinjay en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- päʹpĭnjā' (US)
- pŏʹpĭnjā (UK)
- (US) audio
- /ˈpɑpənˌd͡ʒeɪ/ (US)
- /ˈpɒpɪnd͡ʒeɪ/ (UK)
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.
Meanings
-
(qualifier:now archaic outside heraldry) A parrot.
[I]nnumerable popingayes of ſundry kindes are found chattering in the groues of thoſe fenny places.
1555, Peter Martyr of Angleria [i.e., Peter Martyr d’Anghiera], “The Nynth Booke of the Seconde Decade, of the Supposed Continent”, in Rycharde Eden [i.e., Richard Eden], transl., The Decades of the Newe Worlde or West India, […], London: […] [Rycharde Jug for] Guilhelmi Powell, →OCLC, 2nd decade, folio 83, recto:
- (obsolete) A decorative image of a parrot on a tapestry, cloth etc.
-
(dated) A vain, gaudy person; someone who is shallow or superficial.
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."
1881, Alfred Ayres [pseudonym; Thomas Embly Osmun], “Nicely”, in The Verbalist:
- A target to shoot at, typically stuffed with feathers or plumage.
- (UK) The green woodpecker, Picus viridis.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| popinjays | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
carpet knight · metrosexual · blood · jack-a-dandy · dike · dudelet · blade · barbermonger · swell · fribble · spark · puss-gentleman · toff · go · popinjay · fine gentleman · dude · macaroni · buck · spiff · beau · macaroni · prig · fop · jetter · petit maître · dood · mignon · foretop · smart · gallant · fop · tippy · dandy · fast man · peacock · masher · exquisite · pretty boy · cockscomb · Jemmy-Jessamy · fashionable
Translations (21)
mk конте (vain, gaudy person) · bg франт (vain, gaudy person) · nl verwaand heerschap (vain, gaudy person) · nl gaai (archery: target to shoot at) · es gomoso (vain, gaudy person) · sv papegoja (heraldic representation of a parrot) · ar سَطْحِيَّة (vain, gaudy person) · ota هوپپا (vain, gaudy person) · bg конте (vain, gaudy person) · fi papukaija (archery: target to shoot at) · nl kwastl (vain, gaudy person) · ru щёголь (vain, gaudy person) · mk гиздавец (vain, gaudy person) · fi pintaliitäjä (vain, gaudy person) · fi papukaija (heraldic representation of a parrot) · fi papukaija (decorative image of a parrot) · fi maali (archery: target to shoot at) · nl windbuil (vain, gaudy person) · ru фат (vain, gaudy person) · ar سَطْحِيّ (vain, gaudy person) · es pisaverde (vain, gaudy person)