# ptarmigan

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɑːmɪɡən/ · frequency rank #89,803

## Definitions
1. Any of three species of small grouse in the genus Lagopus found in subarctic tundra areas of North America and Eurasia.

## Etymology
From Scottish Gaelic tarmachan, of unknown origin. The pt- comes from a mistaken belief in a Greek origin, as if related to ptero- (“wing”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ptarmigan