guinea fowl

American  

Or guineafowl

noun

guinea fowls plural

1. any of several African, gallinaceous birds of the subfamily Numidinae, especially a common species, Numida meleagris, that has a bony casque on the head and dark gray plumage spotted with white and that is now domesticated and raised for its flesh and eggs.

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guinea fowl British  

noun

1. any gallinaceous bird, esp Numida meleagris, of the family Numididae of Africa and SW Asia, having a dark plumage mottled with white, a naked head and neck, and a heavy rounded body

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• guinea fowls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of guinea fowl

First recorded in 1645–55; see also turkey ( def. )

Example Sentences

We also learn more about guinea fowl than ever imagined, including how the plump species warns the rest of the herd of danger.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2024

Comical flocks of guinea fowl scampered back and forth, twittering.

From New York Times • Jan. 6, 2021

In addition to sharks darting about, there are colorful clown triggerfish, emperor angelfish, guinea fowl puffers and more than 3,000 pieces of coral.

From Washington Post • Sep. 24, 2020

Inside was riotously loud, with the cries of chickens, duck, quail, guinea fowl and the tender pigeons known as squab, jostling for space and pecking seed in tall metal cages.

From The Guardian • Jun. 17, 2020

Slowly, the guinea fowl approached the cook-fire, which was now only a drift of ashes.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer