Covey
/ˈkʌvi/noun
A small group of birds, especially partridges or quail.
Did you know?Covey entered English through Anglo-French as a hunting term for a flock of game birds, and its older root ultimately points to the idea of a “covering” or “concealing” mass.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱewp-
“to cover, conceal”
Latin
Latin
cooperīre
“to cover over, hide”
Old French
Old French
covée
“a brood or clutch of birds”
Middle English
English
covei
“a flock or brood of birds”
Modern English
English
covey
“a small group of birds, especially game birds”