pheasant

The story

1. Old English · derived fromwōrhana
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromφᾱσιανός
3. Latin · derived fromphāsiānus
4. Old French · derived fromfesan
5. Middle English · inherited fromfesaunt
6. English todaypheasant

From Middle English fesaunt, fesant, from Old French fesan, from Latin phāsiānus, from Ancient Greek φᾱσιανός (phāsianós), meaning “[bird] of the river Φᾶσις (Phâsis)”, from where, it was supposed, the bird spread to the west. Replaced native Old English wōrhana, a variant of mōrhana. More at moorhen.

Words from the same roots