pavonine

American  

[pav-uh-nahyn, -nin] / ˈpæv əˌnaɪn, -nɪn /

adjective

1. of or like a peacock.

2. resembling the feathers of a peacock, as in coloring.

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pavonine British  

/ ˈpævəˌnaɪn /

adjective

1. of or resembling a peacock or the colours, design, or iridescence of a peacock's tail

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Etymology

Origin of pavonine

1650–60; < Latin pāvōnīnus, derivative of pāvō (stem pāvōn- ) peacock; see -ine ¹

Explanation

Pavonine means being similar to a peacock, like your sister's wonderfully iridescent pavonine Halloween costume. This adjective can describe anything that reminds you of the large, colorful, showy birds: "My friend put on a pavonine display at school today, strutting around in his fancy new outfit." It's most often used for things that resemble a peacock's brilliant, lustrous feathers, though, like the pavonine feathers of a smaller, less impressive bird. The Latin pavo, "peacock," is the root of pavonine.

Example Sentences

Zora von Pavonine is a dedicated artist who devotes time and money to perfecting her costumes and craft.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2017

Pavonine, pav′o-nīn, adj. pertaining to the peacock: resembling the tail of a peacock or made of its feathers: iridescent—also Pavō′nian.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various