Japanese quail

noun

See under coturnix.

coturnix

[kuh-tur-niks] /kəˈtɜr nɪks/

noun

any of several small Old World quails of the genus Coturnix, especially C. japonica (Japanese quail) widely used as a laboratory animal.

Origin of coturnix

Latin

1758

1758; < New Latin; Latin cōturnix, coturnix quail

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2016.
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