Definition

1. 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

1. very large terrestrial southeast Asian pheasant often raised as an ornamental bird