gamecock
Meaning
A rooster of a breed trained and used for cockfighting.
A person with a fighting spirit; a plucky or aggressive individual.
Structure
Usage
The farm was known for breeding champion gamecocks.
Despite his small size, he was a real gamecock in the debate.
Laws prohibiting the possession of gamecocks have been enacted in many regions.
Etymology
The word 'gamecock' is a transparent English compound formed from two native Old English roots. 'Game' evolved from 'gamen', broadly meaning joy, sport, or amusement, which narrowed to signify a contest with rules. 'Cock' has consistently referred to the male domestic fowl. The compound directly and literally describes a rooster bred and trained for the 'game' or sport of cockfighting. Over time, the term's semantic field expanded metaphorically to describe a person possessing the aggressive, tenacious spirit characteristic of such a bird in combat.
Analysis
- game: From Old English 'gamen' (sport, fun, amusement). In this compound, it carries the sense of a contest or activity involving competition and skill. - cock: From Old English 'cocc' (male bird, rooster). It denotes the specific animal at the center of the contest.