capercaillie
Americannoun
noun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There had been concerns for capercaillie - large woodland grouse - that have recently been spotted around Ryvoan.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
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
A few years from now, these stems will develop into a barrier against erosion, a carbon sink and a habitat for distinctive Highland birds such as the capercaillie and ptarmigan.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 25, 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
When we had partaken of some salmon and capercaillie, cooked after the Norwegian process—where butter abounded, and had lighted our meerschaums, we went at a gallop homewards.
From A Yacht Voyage to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden 2nd edition by Ross, William A.
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.
