Definition

Noun 1. A small, mostly white vulture: "Pharaoh's chicken" is the common name for the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), a bird of prey. It is characterized by its relatively small size for a vulture, its white plumage with black flight feathers, and its distinctive yellow, featherless face.

Usage

• The term is used as a common name for a specific species of vulture.
• It is primarily used in ornithological, zoological, or descriptive natural history contexts.
• It can be used in historical or cultural discussions, as the bird appears in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and mythology.

Examples

• Noun:
  • We spotted a Pharaoh's chicken soaring above the cliffs.
  • The Pharaoh's chicken, or Egyptian vulture, is known for using tools to break open eggs.
  • In ancient iconography, the Pharaoh's chicken was a symbol of royalty and protection.

Advanced Usage

• The name "Pharaoh's chicken" originates from the bird's association with ancient Egyptian royalty and its scavenging habits, which were likened to a domestic chicken's pecking.
• It is considered an informal or folk name; the formal scientific and most common English name is "Egyptian vulture."

Variants and Related Words

• Egyptian vulture (n): The standard common name and synonym for "Pharaoh's chicken."
• (n): The scientific binomial name for the species.

Synonyms

• Egyptian vulture
• White scavenger vulture (less common)

Related Idioms or Phrases

• None directly associated: There are no widely used idioms or phrasal verbs incorporating the term "Pharaoh's chicken." It functions solely as a noun naming a specific animal.

Noun

1. small mostly white vulture of Africa and southern Eurasia