n. a genus of birds including the New World quail and the bobwhites.
n. [ L. gallinula chicken, dim. of gallina hen: cf. F. gallinule. ] (Zool.) One of several wading birds, having long, webless toes, and a frontal shield, belonging to the family
☞ The purple gallinule of Southern Europe and Asia was formerly believed to be able to detect and report adultery, and for that reason, chiefly, it was commonly domesticated by the ancients. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. [ L., flax. ] (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants including the flax (Linum usitatissimum). [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ So called from L.