fêng huang

noun

variants or fung-hwang
ˈfəŋˈ(h)wäŋ
1
: the bird that in Chinese myth watches with the dragon, tortoise, and kylin over the empire and appears in times of prosperity and that is often represented in art as composite in appearance sometimes as a symbol of the empress
2
: a bird with rich plumage and graceful form and movement domestic in the former imperial court of China, associated with the mythical fêng huang as an emblem of good fortune, and identified by some with the ocellated argus

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Pekingese) fêng4 huang2, from fêng4 male phoenix + huang2 female phoenix

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near fêng huang

Cite this Entry

“Fêng huang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/f%C3%AAng%20huang. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!