any of several Old World gallinaceous game birds of the subfamily Perdicinae, especially Perdix perdix.
Chiefly Northern U.S. the ruffed grouse.
Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. bobwhite.
any of several other North American gallinaceous game birds.
any of various South and Central American tinamous.
any of various small Old World gallinaceous game birds of the genera Perdix, Alectoris, etc, esp P. perdix ( common or European partridge ): family Phasianidae (pheasants)
any of various other gallinaceous birds, esp the bobwhite and ruffed grouse
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English partrich, variant of pertrich, from Middle French pertris, variant of perdris, Old French perd(r)iz, from Latin perdix, from Greek pérdix
A partridge is a wild brown bird. What is that partridge doing in a pear tree in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas"? Who knows, since most partridges live on the ground and hardly ever climb trees. Partridges are popular with European hunters, but there are very few partridges in North America, although some have been introduced as game birds. The word partridge comes from the Greek perdix and can ultimately be traced back to a Sanskrit word that mimics the whirring sound of a bird's wings.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Vulture populations are booming across the U.S., according to Hannah Partridge, who works for the National Audubon Society and studied vultures for years.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
The other problem: “They’re just going to poop wherever they hang out,” said Partridge.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
He continued: "I will keep on doing it. If anyone wants to know when Alan Partridge is going to die, it's about the same time that I am going to die."
From BBC • May 10, 2026
A growing number of self-identified pastors such as Dale Partridge, Joel Webbon, and Martin Sedra have borrowed influencer-style tactics to draw in viewers.
From Salon • May 4, 2026
We stepped out on the porch just as Mrs. Partridge placed a white envelope on the steps.
From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
