jay
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GC: n

S: RSPB – https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/jay (last access: 15 November 2024); WildlifeT – https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/crows-and-shrikes/jay (last access: 15 November 2024).

N: 1. The common European jay (Garrulus glandarius), early 14c. (late 12c. as a surname), from Old North French gai, Old French jai “magpie, jay” (12c., Modern French geai), from Late Latin gaius “a jay,” probably echoic of the bird’s harsh warning cry and supposedly influenced by Latin Gaius, a common Roman proper name.

For other bird names from proper names, compare martin and parrot. Applied to the North American blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) from 1709; it is unrelated but has touches of vivid blue, is noisy and restless, and also has a harsh call. Applied to humans, “impertinent chatterer, loud, flashy dresser” from 1520s. Jolly as a jay was a Middle English expression for “very happy, joyful.”

2. jay: A predominantly fawn-colored Old World bird (Garrulus glandarius) of the crow family with a black-and-white crest and wings marked with black, white, and blue.

jay: Any of various usually crested and largely blue chiefly New World birds that are related to the common Old World jay and have roving habits and harsh voices

blue jay: A crested bright blue North American jay (Cyanocitta cristata).

3. Birds: Eurasian jay, common jay, jay.

  • Latin: Garrulus glandarius.
  • A bird of the family Corvidae.

  • In English scientific usage, all elements of names of bird species require capital letters except for hyphenated adjectives where the second word is not capitalized, for example, Black-crowned Night Heron.

4. Cultural Interrelation: The jay and peacock [graphic] created in 1790? Creator: Kirk, Thomas, 1765?-1797, printmaker. Contributor: Barlow, Francis, 1622-1704, artist.

S: 1. Etymonline – https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=jay (last access: 15 November 2024). 2. MW – https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jay (last access: 15 November 2024). 3. TERMIUM PLUS – https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&srchtxt=jay&index=alt&codom2nd_wet=1#resultrecs (last access: 15 November 2024). 4. Yale – https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/10731185 (last access: 15 November 2024).

SYN: Eurasian jay, common jay. (depending on context)

S: TERMIUM PLUS – https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&srchtxt=jay&index=alt&codom2nd_wet=1#resultrecs (last access: 15 November 2024)

CR: bird, crow, magpie, mockingbird.