POPINJAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does popinjay mean? 

• POPINJAY (noun)
  The noun POPINJAY has 2 senses:

1. a vain and talkative person (chatters like a parrot)

2. an archaic term for a parrot

  Familiarity information: POPINJAY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POPINJAY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A vain and talkative person (chatters like a parrot)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("popinjay" is a kind of...):

egoist; egotist; swellhead (a conceited and self-centered person)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An archaic term for a parrot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("popinjay" is a kind of...):

parrot (usually brightly colored zygodactyl tropical birds with short hooked beaks and the ability to mimic sounds)

 Context examples 

The two who were on either side of Alleyne bent their bows as calmly as though they were shooting at the popinjay at the village fair.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)