Definition: popinjay
Source: WordNet (r) 1.7
popinjay
n 1: a vain and talkative person (chatters like a parrot)
2: archaic
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Yaffle \Yaf"fle\, n. [Probably imitative of its call or cry.] (Zo["o]l.) The European green woodpecker (Picus, or Genius, viridis). It is noted for its loud laughlike note. Called also eccle, hewhole, highhoe, laughing bird, popinjay, rain bird, yaffil, yaffler, yaffingale, yappingale, yackel, and woodhack.
Popinjay \Pop"in*jay\, n. [OE. popingay, papejay, OF. papegai, papegaut; cf. Pr. papagai, Sp. & Pg. papagayo, It. pappagallo, LGr. ?, NGr. ?; in which the first syllables are perhaps imitative of the bird's chatter, and the last either fr. L. gallus cock, or the same word as E. jay, F. geai. Cf. Papagay.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) (a) The green woodpecker. (b) A parrot. The pye and popyngay speak they know not what. --Tyndale. 2. A target in the form of a parrot. [Scot.] 3. A trifling, chattering, fop or coxcomb. ``To be so pestered with a popinjay.'' --Shak.
