Galliformes

plural noun

Gal·​li·​for·​mes
: an order of birds of largely terrestrial habits that are mostly rather large and heavy-bodied with short wings, legs adapted for running and scratching the ground where most of their food (as seeds or worms) is found, a large crop, and a muscular gizzard, that nest usually on the ground, that produce numerous eggs and young which are precocial, and that include the pheasants, turkeys, grouse, partridges, quails, and related birds (as the common domestic fowl, the megapodes and curassows, and the hoatzins) see galli , opisthocomi

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from galli- (from Gallus) + -formes

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Cite this Entry

“Galliformes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Galliformes. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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