FreeScrabbleDictionary

popinjay

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
22
Words With Friends
26
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/ˈpɒpɪnd͡ʒeɪ/ (UK)
See all 2 pronunciations
/ˈpɒpɪnd͡ʒeɪ/ (UK) · /ˈpɑpənˌd͡ʒeɪ/ (US)

Definition of popinjay

5 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included

noun

  1. A parrot.
    “[I]nnumerable popingayes of ſundry kindes are found chattering in the groues of thoſe fenny places.”
See all 5 definitions

noun

  1. A parrot.
    “[I]nnumerable popingayes of ſundry kindes are found chattering in the groues of thoſe fenny places.”
  2. (obsolete)A decorative image of a parrot on a tapestry, cloth etc.
  3. (dated)A vain, gaudy person; someone who is shallow or superficial.
    “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. A target to shoot at, typically stuffed with feathers or plumage.
  5. (UK)The green woodpecker, Picus viridis.

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

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.

Words you can make from popinjay

62 playable · top: JAY (13 pts)

Best play jay 13 points

5-letter words

4 words

4-letter words

15 words

3-letter words

26 words

2-letter words

16 words

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

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