potârniche

Romanian

potârniche

Alternative forms

• păturniche (regional, Moldova)

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *quoturnīc(u)la or *coturnīc(u)la, diminutive of Latin cōturnīx (“quail”). The change from c- to qu- is the reverse process as that seen in e.g. quandō > când; the change qu- to p- is normal, e.g. aqua > apă. The local Vulgar Latin was perhaps influenced by perdix (“partridge”) and its diminutive perdicula. Compare Aromanian piturniclji.

Noun

potârniche f (plural potârnichi)

1. partridge (a bird of the genera Perdix or Alectoris)