capercaillie

American  

[kap-er-keyl-yee] / ˌkæp ərˈkeɪl yi /

Also capercailzie

noun

1. a large grouse, Tetrao urogallus, of Eurasian forests.

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capercaillie British  

/ ˌkæpəˈkeɪljɪ, -ˈkeɪlzɪ, ˌkæpəˈkeɪljɪ /

noun

1. a large European woodland grouse, Tetrao urogallus, having a black plumage and fan-shaped tail in the male

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Etymology

Origin of capercaillie

1530–40; < Scots Gaelic capull coille (by dissimilation), literally, horse of the woods; for first element, compare Middle English capel horse, Old Norse kapall nag, from the same source (probably Celtic ) as Latin caballus horse; spelling lz is early typographical rendering of manuscript spelling l + yogh letter (representing palatal l ); compare parallel spelling of surnames Mackenzie, Menzies

Example Sentences

Cairngorms is the largest national park in the UK and home to 25% of all threatened and rare species, such as capercaillie and golden eagles.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2021

To respect the life of the deer is to disrespect the life of the capercaillie, the crossbill, the goshawk, the wildcat, the red squirrel and the pine marten.

From The Guardian • Feb. 19, 2020

Menazas has noticed that the valley’s climate is already warming, with less snow and bird species such as the capercaillie nesting higher up.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2018

The capercaillie had long eluded him, Speck said.

From Washington Post • Sep. 4, 2015

Ralph had, indeed, many a time hunted rabbits, hares, mountain-cock, and capercaillie.

From Boyhood in Norway by Boyesen, Hjalmar Hjorth