popinjay

[ pop-in-jey ]

noun

1. a person given to vain, pretentious displays and empty chatter; coxcomb; fop.
2. British Dialect. a woodpecker, especially the green woodpecker.
3. Archaic. the figure of a parrot usually fixed on a pole and used as a target in archery and gun shooting.
4. Archaic. a parrot.

popinjay

/ ˈpɒpɪnˌdʒeɪ /

noun

1. a conceited, foppish, or excessively talkative person
2. an archaic word for parrot
3. the figure of a parrot used as a target

Word History and Origins

Origin of popinjay¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English papejay, popingay, papinjai(e), from Middle French papegai, papingay “parrot,” ultimately from Arabic bab(ba)ghā', probably imitative of the bird's cry

Word History and Origins

Origin of popinjay¹

C13 papeniai, from Old French papegay a parrot, from Spanish papagayo, from Arabic babaghā

Example Sentences

That spruce, affected little popinjay over there, who looks as if he had been drinking verjuice.

From Project Gutenberg

Then will they miss seeing a man, and not a popinjay, I retorted.

From Project Gutenberg

You might argue with them all day, and you could not make them feel so small as I made that popinjay feel in one hour.

From Project Gutenberg

When the class war came, he would naturally he found shooting down the workmen; but for any other war, an ignorant popinjay!

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg