English Explanatory Dictionary

covey

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A brood or family of partridges (family Phasianidae), which includes game birds such as grouse (tribe Tetraonini) and ptarmigans (tribe Tetraonini, genus Lagopus).
  2. A group of other birds, such as quail (superfamily Phasianoidea).
  3. A group or party of people; also, a group or set of things.
verb
  1. To gather into a group.
noun
  1. A male person, a man; a chap, a chappie.
name
  1. A surname from Irish.

Pronunciation

kŭvʹē /ˈkʌvi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-covey (u).wav /ˈkəʊvi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-covey (ou).wav kōʹvē /ˈkoʊvi/

Word forms

covey covies coveys covie coveying coveyed

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English covei, covey (“brood of partridges, covey; volley of shot; kind of gun”) [and other forms], from Old French covée (“brood (of chickens), clutch”) (modern French couvée), a noun use of the feminine past participle of cover (“to brood (an egg)”) (modern French couver), from Latin cubāre, the present active infinitive of cubō (“to lie down, recline; to incubate; to be broody”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- (“to lie down”). The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates French couvée (“brood (of chickens), clutch”), couver (“to brood (an egg)”) Italian covata (“brood, clutch, covey, hatch”), covare (“to brood or incubate (an egg)”)

Synonyms

bloke cove fellow guy boy bro broski bruh cat chap chappy chield covey dog [⇒ thesaurus] (slang) dawg dude fella gadgie gate geezer gink gloak gome health homeboy homey joe lede nigga ninja omi pillicock punk rooster seg shalk wallah wer were wye

Related words

cove

Derived words

covie
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