definitions

tinamou

[ tin-uh-moo ]
/ ˈtɪn əˌmu /
|

noun

any of several birds of the family Tinamidae, of South and Central America, related to the ratite birds but superficially resembling the gallinaceous birds.

Nearby words

tin-plate, tin-pot, tin-white, tina, tinactin, tinamou, tinbergen, tincal, tinct, tinct., tinctorial

Origin of tinamou

1775–85; < French < Carib tinamu
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tinamou

  • He was galloping over the pampas, with a very violent wind blowing in his face, when a Tinamou started up before his horse.

    Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2)|P. L. Sclater

  • The martinette (tinamou), a sort of intermediary between the partridge and the pheasant, is the best of the Pampas game.

    South America To-day|Georges Clemenceau

  • When surprised on the open ground the Ypecaha lies close, like a Tinamou, refusing to rise until almost trodden upon.

    Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2)|P. L. Sclater

  • Another bird sure to interest the sportsman is the Patagonian prairie chicken known as the tinamou.

    The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn|John R. Spears

British Dictionary definitions for tinamou

tinamou

/ (ˈtɪnəˌmuː) /

noun

any bird of the order Tinamiformes of Central and South America, having small wings, a heavy body, and an inconspicuous plumage

Word Origin for tinamou

C18: via French from Carib (Galibi) tinamu
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012