PARA-186-Peacock

Caretaker Status: Unknown

Affiliated companion(s): none

Level 3 - concrete
Word: Peacock

Origin:
c. 1300, poucock, from Middle English po "peacock" + coc (see cock (n.)).

Po is from Old English pawa "peafowl" (cock or hen), from Latin pavo (genitive pavonis), which, with Greek taos is said to be ultimately from Tamil tokei, but perhaps it is imitative; Latin represented the peacock's sound as paupulo.

The Latin word also is the source of Old High German pfawo, German Pfau, Dutch pauw, Old Church Slavonic pavu. Used as the type of a vainglorious person from late 14c. Its flesh superstitiously was believed to be incorruptible (even St. Augustine credits this).

Definition:
The peafowl include three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the Phasianidae family, the pheasants and their allies.

Magic Status: 0 - Uninitiated

Wisdom Status: 0 - Unaware