capercaillie
[ kap-er-keyl-yee ]
/ ˌkæp ərˈkeɪl yi /
noun
a large grouse, Tetrao urogallus, of Eurasian forests.
Also
cap·er·cail·zie
[kap-er-keyl-yee, -keyl-zee] /ˌkæp ərˈkeɪl yi, -ˈkeɪl zi/.
Origin of capercaillie
1530–40; < Scots Gaelic
capull coille (by dissimilation), literally, horse of the woods; for first element, compare Middle English
capel horse, Old Norse
kapall nag, from the same source (probably Celtic) as Latin
caballus horse; spelling
lz is early typographical rendering of manuscript spelling
l + yogh letter (representing palatal
l); compare parallel spelling of surnames
Mackenzie, Menzies
Words nearby capercaillie
capellini,
capellmeister,
capello,
caper,
caper family,
capercaillie,
capernaum,
capers,
capeskin,
capet,
capetian
Example sentences from the Web for capercaillie
To give an instance nearer home, the Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) was successfully introduced into Scotland in 1837.
The History of the European Fauna |R. F. ScharffThe Capercaillie hen makes her nest upon the ground, and lays from six to twelve eggs.
British Birds in their Haunts |Rev. C. A. Johns
British Dictionary definitions for capercaillie
capercaillie
capercailzie (ˌkæpəˈkeɪljɪ, -ˈkeɪlzɪ)
/ (ˌkæpəˈkeɪljɪ) /
noun
a large European woodland grouse, Tetrao urogallus, having a black plumage and fan-shaped tail in the male
Word Origin for capercaillie
C16: from Scottish Gaelic
capull coille horse of the woods