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coturnix

[ kuh-tur-niks ]

noun

  1. any of several small true quails of the genus Coturnix, especially C. coturnix common quail, or European quail, a widespread game bird of Europe and North Africa, and C. japonica Japanese quail, breeding mostly in East and Central Asia and widely used as a laboratory animal.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of coturnix1

First recorded in 1755–60; from New Latin, Latin cōturnīx, coturnīx “quail”

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Example Sentences

In July the black-breasted or rain-quail (Coturnix coromandelica) is plentiful in India.

With the first full moon of September come the grey quail (Coturnix communis).

"Coturnix novaezealandiae" retained as printed, but the correct spelling is "novaezelandiae" as printed in the species heading.

The gallinaceous birds are represented by a quail, Coturnix novae zealandiae, now exterminated.

The quail, puyuh (coturnix); but whether a native or a bird of passage, I cannot determine.

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