peafowl
/'pi:faul/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A very large terrestrial Southeast Asian pheasant, often raised as an ornamental bird. The term refers to the species, with the male called a peacock and the female called a peahen.
Usage
- The word "peafowl" is a singular noun. Its plural form is "peafowl" or, less commonly, "peafowls." It is used to refer to the bird species in a general or collective sense, without specifying gender.
- Example: "Several peafowl roam the grounds of the estate." (This sentence correctly uses the plural form "peafowl" to refer to multiple birds of the species.)
Examples
- Noun:
- The peafowl is native to forests in India and Sri Lanka.
- We saw a group of peafowl near the temple.
- Raising peafowl requires a lot of space due to their size.
Advanced Usage
- "Peafowl" as a collective term: The word is often used in zoological, avicultural, and formal contexts to discuss the species as a whole.
- The conservation status of the green peafowl is a concern.
Variants and Related Words
- Peacock (noun): Specifically, the male peafowl, known for its long, colorful tail feathers (train) that it displays.
- The peacock fanned its magnificent tail.
- Peahen (noun): Specifically, the female peafowl, which is generally smaller and lacks the long, ornate tail of the male.
- The peahen is more camouflaged than the peacock.
- Peachick (noun): A young peafowl.
- The peachicks followed their mother closely.
Synonyms
- Peacock-pheasant (Note: This is a related but different genus of birds. It is not a perfect synonym but shares some characteristics.)
- Ornamental pheasant (This is a descriptive phrase, not a single-word synonym.)
Related Phrases
- A pride of peafowl: A collective noun sometimes used for a group of these birds.
- A pride of peafowl strutted across the lawn.
Notes on Meaning
- The primary meaning of "peafowl" is the bird species (Indian peafowl) and related species. It is important to distinguish it from the gender-specific terms "peacock" and "peahen." In common, non-scientific language, "peacock" is sometimes used incorrectly to refer to the species regardless of gender, but "peafowl" is the correct general term.
Noun
- very large terrestrial southeast Asian pheasant often raised as an ornamental bird