English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English popinjay, popyngeay, popingay, popejay, from Anglo-Norman papegai, papejoie et al., (northern) Old French papejai (“parrot”), probably from Old Occitan papagay (compare Occitan papagai, Catalan papagai), ultimately from Arabic بَبْغَاء (babḡāʔ, “parrot”), of imitative origin.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (UK) enPR: pŏʹpĭnjā, IPA^(key): /ˈpɒpɪnd͡ʒeɪ/
• (US) enPR: päʹpĭnjā', IPA^(key): /ˈpɑpənˌd͡ʒeɪ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun[edit]

popinjay (plural popinjays)

1. (now archaic outside heraldry) A parrot. [from 14th c.; in heraldry from 15th c.]
2. (obsolete) A decorative image of a parrot on a tapestry, cloth etc. [14th–16th c.]
3. (dated) A vain, gaudy person; someone who is shallow or superficial. [from 16th c.]
   • 1881, Alfred Ayres [pseudonym; Thomas Embly Osmun], “Nicely”, in The Verbalist‎^[1]:

     The very quintessence of popinjay vulgarity is reached when nicely is made to do service for well, in this wise: "How do you do?" "Nicely." "How are you?" "Nicely."

4. (archery) A target to shoot at, typically stuffed with feathers or plumage. [from 16th c.]
5. (UK) The green woodpecker, Picus viridis. [from 19th c.]

Translations[edit]