Word Study
ptarmigan
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun ptarmigan has 1 sense
- ptarmigan(n = noun.animal) Array - large Arctic and subarctic grouse with feathered feet and usually white winter plumage; Array is a kind of grouse
is a member of genus lagopus, lagopus
has particulars: lagopus scoticus, moor-bird, moorbird, moorfowl, moorgame, red grouse
CIDE DICTIONARY
ptarmigan, n. [Gael. tarmachan; cf. Ir. tarmochan, tarmonach.].
Any grouse of the genus Lagopus , of which numerous species are known. The feet are completely feathered. Most of the species are brown in summer, but turn white, or nearly white, in winter. [1913 Webster]
" They chiefly inhabit the northern countries and high mountains of Europe, Asia, and America. The common European species is Lagopus mutus . The Scotch grouse, red grouse, or moor fowl (Lagopus Scoticus ), is reddish brown, and does not turn white in winter. The white, or willow, ptarmigan (Lagopus albus ) is found in both Europe and America."
[1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
ptarmigan, n. any of various game-birds of the genus Lagopus, esp. L. mutus, with grouselike appearance and black or grey plumage in the summer and white in the winter.
Etymology
Gael. t{agrave}rmachan: p- after Gk words in pt-
For further exploring for "ptarmigan" in Webster Dictionary Online
