pheasant

noun

pheas·ant | \ ˈfe-zᵊnt

plural pheasant or pheasants

Definition of pheasant

1 : any of numerous large often long-tailed and brightly colored Old World gallinaceous birds (Phasianus and related genera of the family Phasianidae) including many raised as ornamental or game birds — compare ring-necked pheasant

2 : any of various birds resembling a pheasant

Examples of pheasant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Darwin was both repulsed and intrigued by this prankster, which resembles a cross between a hawk and a raven, with an orange face, glossy black plumage, and the ability to run with the speed and agility of a pheasant. — Paul Kvinta, Outside Online, "The Mystery of the Falkland Islands' Striated Caracara," 2 Apr. 2021 Birds like wild pheasant or chukar are more robust. — Tom Keer, Outdoor Life, "Why the Gauge of Your Shotgun Doesn’t Matter on Upland Birds," 19 Feb. 2021 One of the best, most reliable sources for wild game is D’Artagnan Foods, which imports inspected foods including Scottish pheasant, redlegged partridge, grouse and wood pigeon. — John Mariani, Forbes, "Even When Covid Goes Away, You Still Need To Take These Health Precautions When You Eat Out," 1 Mar. 2021 The Duck Inn moniker comes from the tavern offering to roast ducks shot by hunters and farmers who back in the day used to roam the nearby Des Plaines River wetlands looking for water fowl and pheasant. — Charles Selle, chicagotribune.com, "Column: New owner dives into charms of Wadsworth’s Duck Inn," 22 Feb. 2021 One man was photographed with framed certificates, and another woman loaded a pheasant into a car. — Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner, "White House doesn't know what happened to Lincoln bust," 14 Jan. 2021 Then Mac released the pheasant, which tumbled down the hill. — Field & Stream, "F&S Classics: The Old Man and the Boy," 31 Dec. 2020 One melancholy day, her mother, bloated by chocolate truffles, oyster purée, and cold pheasant, feeling fat and listless and undesirable, had lain on top of a machine. — Merve Emre, The New Yorker, "How Leonora Carrington Feminized Surrealism," 21 Dec. 2020 The foods most likely to contribute to these inner stalagmites are high in the chemical compound purine, among them venison and foie gras, pheasant and scallops, goose and caviar. — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, "Once the Disease of Gluttonous Aristocrats, Gout Is Now Tormenting the Masses," 13 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pheasant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.