gallina

Thân thiện

A gallina pecks at seeds on the forest floor.

Definition

Noun 1. A small wild bird of Asia: A specific type of wild bird (Gallus gallus), native to South and Southeast Asia, which is the primary wild ancestor of the domestic chicken.

Usage and Examples

• The gallina, or red junglefowl, is known for its colorful plumage and distinctive crow.
• Scientists study the gallina to understand the evolution and domestication of poultry.
• Unlike its domestic descendants, the gallina is a skilled flier and roosts in trees.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in scientific, zoological, or ornithological contexts when discussing avian ancestry. In everyday language, "red junglefowl" is more common.
• It can be used metaphorically to denote a wild or ancestral origin.
  • The domesticated hen's behavior still echoes that of its gallina forebears.

Variants and Related Words

• Junglefowl / Red junglefowl: The common English name for the species.
• Gallus gallus: The binomial (scientific) name for the species.
• Domestic fowl / Chicken: The domesticated descendant ().

Synonyms

• Red junglefowl
• Jungle bird (specific to this context)

Notes on Meaning

• The word gallina is a direct borrowing from Spanish, where it simply means "hen." In specialized English usage (as defined here), it refers specifically to the wild ancestor, not the domestic hen. This is a key distinction.

Học thuật

Noun

1. small Asiatic wild bird; believed to be ancestral to domestic fowl

Từ đồng nghĩa

• jungle fowl