popinjay: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “popinjay” mean?
A person, especially a man, who is vain, showy, and overly concerned with their appearance and manners.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, especially a man, who is vain, showy, and overly concerned with their appearance and manners; a fop or dandy.
Historically: a parrot or a target representing a parrot in archery. Figuratively: a vain, talkative person.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. The word is equally archaic and literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Conveys mild, old-fashioned contempt. More likely found in historical fiction or satirical commentary.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary spoken or written English in both regions. Slightly more likely to be encountered in UK historical texts, but not common.
Grammar
How to Use “popinjay” in a Sentence
He is a ~.The ~ strutted about.She dismissed him as a ~.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Rarely used, except in historical or literary studies discussing character archetypes.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Would sound deliberately archaic or humorous.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “popinjay”
- Using it to mean simply a 'parrot'.
- Using it in modern, informal contexts where it sounds unnatural.
- Misspelling as 'poppinjay'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is considered archaic and literary. Using it today would likely be for humorous or deliberately old-fashioned effect.
Historically, it was almost exclusively used for men. In modern usage, given its rarity, it could theoretically be applied to anyone displaying the relevant traits, but its historical connotation is masculine.
The connection is through the parrot's brightly coloured, 'showy' plumage and its habit of mindlessly repeating words, which metaphorically translates to a person who is ostentatious and talks without substance.
No, 'popinjay' is solely a noun. There are no standard verb or adjective forms.
A person, especially a man, who is vain, showy, and overly concerned with their appearance and manners.
Popinjay is usually formal, literary, archaic in register.
Popinjay: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɒp.ɪn.dʒeɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑː.pɪn.dʒeɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(archaic) 'to shoot the popinjay' (an archery contest)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a POPular INdividual who chatters like a JAYbird (a type of noisy bird) and dresses in bright colours like a parrot—a popinjay.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERSON IS A PARROT (mimicking, brightly coloured, noisy but not profound).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate modern synonym for 'popinjay' in its common usage?