Popinjay is a derogatory term for a strutting, supercilious person. It originally referred to a parrot but evolved to describe someone who is conceited or ostentatious.
Popinjay é um termo depreciativo para uma pessoa orgulhosa e arrogante. Originalmente se referia a um papagaio, mas evoluiu para descrever alguém que se exibe ou é pretensioso.
| Word | popinjay |
|---|---|
| Date | January 28, 2018 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | PAH-pin-jay |
| Etymology | Popinjays and parrots are birds of a feather. Popinjay, from the Middle French word papegai, is the original name for a parrot in English. The French word, in turn, came from the Arabic word for the bird, babghā’. Parrot, which English speakers adopted later, is probably a modification of the Middle French perroquet, which is also the source of the English parakeet. In the days of Middle English, parrots were rare and exotic, and it was quite a compliment to be called a popinjay after such a beautiful bird. But by the 1500s, parrots had become more commonplace, and their gaudy plumage and vulgar mimicry helped popinjay develop the pejorative sense we use today. |
| Examples | "Who does that guy think he is?" Amanda asked in regard to the popinjay who strolled into the restaurant demanding to be seated instantly. "[Ryan] Gosling plays the motormouthed popinjay, a tough talker who's actually quite skittish about his bloody job." — Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 May 2016 |
| Definition | : a strutting supercilious person |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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