popinjay

Where does the word "popinjay" come from? It comes from Arabic babagha' / babgha, passing through Spanish and Old French before entering English (late 1200s).

Popinjay’s story begins in Arabic: babagha' / babgha meant “parrot.” An imitative name for the parrot, of uncertain deeper origin. By 1100s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as papagayo. The bird's name and reputation for gaudy plumage spread into Iberia. From there it passed into Old French as papegai by 1100s. Carried further north through medieval trade and literature. It reached English by late 1200s as popinjay. The ending was reshaped to resemble "jay"; later applied figuratively to vain, showy people. Today, popinjay means a vain or conceited person who dresses or talks in a flashy, showy way.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval babagha' / babgha "parrot", an imitative name for the parrot, of uncertain deeper origin.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1100s papagayo "parrot", the bird's name and reputation for gaudy plumage spread into Iberia.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · 1100s papegai "parrot", carried further north through medieval trade and literature.
4. Stage 4 · Middle English · late 1200s popinjay "parrot, later a vain talkative person", the ending was reshaped to resemble "jay"; later applied figuratively to vain, showy people.