Pheasant — Pheas ant, n. [OE. fesant, fesaunt, OF. faisant, faisan, F. faisan, L. phasianus, Gr. ? (sc. ?) the Phasian bird, pheasant, fr. ? a river in Colchis or Pontus.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of large gallinaceous birds of the genus… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
PHEASANT — PHEASANT, the game bird Phasianus colchicus. The pheasant was known in Greek as Φασιανός and hence in mishnaic Hebrew as פַּסְיוֹנִי (pasyoni). It is not mentioned in the Bible, although pseudo Jonathan identified it with the biblical שְׂלָו… … Encyclopedia of Judaism
pheasant — [fez′ənt] n. pl. pheasants or pheasant [ME fesant < Anglo Fr < OFr faisan < L phasianus < Gr phasianos, after Phasis, river of Colchis: the birds are said to have been numerous near its mouth] 1. any of a number of large gallinaceous… … English World dictionary
pheasant — late 13c., from Anglo Fr. fesaunt, O.Fr. faisan (13c.), from L. phasianus, from Gk. phasianos a pheasant, lit. Phasian bird, from Phasis, river flowing into the Black Sea in Colchis, where the birds were said to have been numerous. The ph was… … Etymology dictionary
pheasant — ► NOUN ▪ a large long tailed game bird, the male of which typically has showy plumage. ORIGIN Greek phasianos bird of Phasis , a river in the Caucasus from which the bird is said to have spread westwards … English terms dictionary
Pheasant — For other uses, see Pheasant (disambiguation). Phasianinae Mongolian Ringneck type Common Pheasant cock Scientific classification Kingdom … Wikipedia
pheasant — /fez euhnt/, n. 1. any of numerous large, usually long tailed, Old World gallinaceous birds of the family Phasianidae, widely introduced. 2. any of various other birds that resemble or suggest a pheasant. 3. Southern U.S. the ruffed grouse. [1250 … Universalium
pheasant — [[t]fe̱z(ə)nt[/t]] pheasants N COUNT (pheasant can also be used as the plural form.) A pheasant is a bird with a long tail. Pheasants are often shot as a sport and then eaten. N UNCOUNT Pheasant is the flesh of this bird eaten as food. ...roast… … English dictionary
pheasant — UK [ˈfez(ə)nt] / US [ˈfezənt] noun Word forms pheasant : singular pheasant plural pheasant or pheasants a) [countable] a large bird with a long tail that is hunted for sport and food b) [uncountable] the meat from a pheasant … English dictionary
pheasant — noun (plural pheasant or pheasants) Etymology: Middle English fesaunt, from Anglo French fesant, faisan, from Latin phasianus, from Greek (ornis) phasianos, from phasianos of the Phasis River, from Phasis, river in Colchis Date: 13th century 1.… … New Collegiate Dictionary
Pheasant — This interesting surname, of English origin, is a nickname for someone bearing a fancied resemblance to the bird, deriving from the Middle English fesaunt meaning pheasant . The surname dates back to the mid 12th Century (see below). Further… … Surnames reference
