Guinea-Fowl
/ˈɡɪn.i.faʊl/noun
A ground-dwelling bird of the pheasant family, native to Africa and known for its spotted plumage and noisy calls.
Did you know?Despite the name, the familiar domestic guinea fowl is not from the country of Guinea specifically; the English name reflects old European trade routes and vague West African geography rather than strict scientific origin.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μελαγρῖς (melagrís)
“A guinea fowl or related spotted game bird”
Late Latin
Latin
meleagris
“A guinea fowl; later used as a learned name for the bird”
14th-16th Century
French
poule de Guinée
“Hen of Guinea; a bird associated with West Africa”
16th Century
English
gynnyfowle / guine fowl
“A fowl believed to come from Guinea”
Modern English
English
guinea-fowl
“The modern standard name for the bird”