pheasant

[ fez-uhnt ]

noun

1. any of numerous large, usually long-tailed, Old World gallinaceous birds of the family Phasianidae, widely introduced.
2. any of various other birds that resemble or suggest a pheasant.
3. Southern U.S. the ruffed grouse ( def ).

pheasant

/ ˈfɛzənt /

noun

1. any of various long-tailed gallinaceous birds of the family Phasianidae, esp Phasianus colchicus ( ring-necked pheasant ), having a brightly-coloured plumage in the male: native to Asia but introduced elsewhere
2. any of various other gallinaceous birds of the family Phasianidae, including the quails and partridges
3. any of several other gallinaceous birds, esp the ruffed grouse

Word History and Origins

Origin of pheasant¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English fesaunt, from Anglo-French; Old French fesan, from Latin phāsiānus, from Greek phāsiānós (órnis) “(bird) of the Phasis,” a river in the Caucasus

Word History and Origins

Origin of pheasant¹

C13: from Old French fesan, from Latin phāsiānus, from Greek phasianos ornis Phasian bird, named after the River Phasis, in Colchis

Example Sentences

Americans who hunted pheasants in the United Kingdom sought to bring the birds to these shores for the purpose of sport hunting.

From Outside Online

It’s thought that pheasants may have arrived in England in the 11th century, where they decorated the gardens of the wealthy.

From Outside Online

Today, bird hunting in England is synonymous with the pheasant, and around 25 million of them are released there each year.

From Outside Online

More importantly, R&R is a prime example of the successful partnership between private landowners, taxpayers, hunters, and nonprofit organizations that uses pheasant hunting to restore wildlife habitat across the country.

From Outside Online

That success prompted would-be pheasant hunters to introduce them across much of the rest of the country.

From Outside Online

It is the first time Charles has been pictured with a gun on a pheasant shoot since December 2008.

From The Daily Beast

Wood pigeon, pheasant, partridge, grouse, peacocks, hares, wild rabbits, and waterfowl are all dietary staples.

From The Daily Beast

The pheasant calls for Pommard, while songbirds and hare lend themselves to aged Bordeaux or a light Gevrey.

From The Daily Beast

Hemingway is shown on p. 89, pensive with rifle at a pheasant shoot in Idaho.

From The Daily Beast

Just before Christmas, they were reportedly at Althorp, shooting pheasant.

From The Daily Beast

Among the variety of birds, several black cockatoos and the pheasant cuckoo were seen.

From Project Gutenberg

A pheasant got up across a ploughed field where in the mild season the young corn was already green.

From Project Gutenberg

So home and found Mr. Hollyard there, and he stayed and dined with us, we having a pheasant to dinner.

From Project Gutenberg

The whistle of the quail and the flutter of the perdiz, or pheasant, are heard on all sides in the rural and mountain regions.

From Project Gutenberg

The little sad face under the old-fashioned, pheasant-winged hat softened a little.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chicken
• duck
• fowl
• geese
• pigeon