turkey

turkey · noun¹

Ellipsis of turkey-cock and turkey hen, originally denoting the guinea fowl, an African bird that was first imported to Europe through Turkey, but there is some controversy over the origin. The word was then transferred to the superficially similar North American bird Meleagris gallopavo.

Turkey · proper noun, noun, adjective²

1. Old Turkic · derived from𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜
2. Middle Persian · derived from[script needed]
3. Classical Persian · derived fromتُرْک
4. Medieval Greek · derived fromΤοῦρκος
5. Medieval Latin · derived fromTurcia
6. Anglo-Norman · derived fromTurkye
7. Middle English · inherited fromTurkye
8. English todayTurkey

From Middle English Turkye, from Anglo-Norman Turkye, Medieval Latin Turcia, from Turcus (“Turk”), from Medieval Greek Τοῦρκος (Toûrkos), from Classical Persian تُرْک (turk), from Middle Persian [script needed] (twlk' /⁠turk⁠/), from Old Turkic 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜 (t²ẅr²ẅk²). By surface analysis, Turke + -y.

First known use, by meaning

• from c. 1600 The guinea fowl (family Numididae).
• from early 20th c. A pack carried by a lumberman; a bindle; also, a large travel bag, a suitcase.