Pop"in*jay (?), n. [OE. popingay, papejay, OF. papegai, papegaut; cf. Pr. papagai, Sp. & Pg. papagayo, It. pappagallo, LGr. , NGr. ; in which the first syllables are perhaps imitative of the bird's chatter, and the last either fr. L. gallus cock, or the same word as E. jay, F. geai. Cf. Papagay.]

1. Zool. (a)

The green woodpecker.

(b)

A parrot.

The pye and popyngay speak they know not what. Tyndale.

2.

A target in the form of a parrot.

[Scot.]

3.

A trifling, chattering, fop or coxcomb.

"To be so pestered with a popinjay."

Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.

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