Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
😎 A show-off 🦜 A parrot
popinjay

popinjay

1 9.9
A brightly colored parrot that copies sounds
  • noun
  • /ˈpɑːpɪnˌdʒeɪ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : papagayo
  • The popinjay squawked loudly in the tree.

Examples

  • In the king’s court, a brightly colored popinjay sat on its perch, mimicking the guests.

  • He was called a popinjay in jest, for his loud clothes and boastful manner.

  • Medieval tapestries often feature a popinjay among other exotic animals.

  • He is such a popinjay at parties.

  • The parrot, known as a popinjay, mimicked every sound it heard.

  • In the meeting, he acted like a popinjay, boasting about his achievements loudly.

  • The colorful feathers of the popinjay caught everyone's attention.

Synonyms

jive turkey
vspopinjay
  • Offensive
3 9.9

A person who pretends and lies to impress others

expresses vanity or talk that is showy but not necessarily dishonest
magpie
vspopinjay
  • Offensive
2 8.9

A person who talks too much in a silly or annoying way

emphasizes vanity and showy talk rather than mere foolish chatter

Surface Forms

popinjay singular
popinjays plural

Etymology

Popinjay comes from an old word for a colorful 'parrot', like French papegai and Spanish papagayo. Because these birds are loud and bright, people used the word for a showy bird and later for someone who shows off.