Etymology
Ult. from Classical Lat
pāvōn- ,
pāvō 'peacock', borrowed early into Gmc, cp. OIcel
pá,
pái,
páfugl, OE
pēa,
pāwa, OS
pao, OHG
pfāwo,
pfāho,
pfāo.
OED3 most plausibly derives all ME forms from OE variants
pēa and
pāwa (with retraction of
ǣ to
ā before
u̯).
MED cites both the ON and OE nouns as etyma, presumably suggesting an alternative source for the vocalism represented by <a>, which it notes is characteristic of N and N Midlands texts. While this is impossible to disprove, such an explanation is hardly necessary, as the retention of OE
ā (spelled <a> or <ai, ay>) is characteristic of N (though not N Midlands) dial of ME (see Jordan-Crook
§44 and accompanying map).
PGmc Ancestor
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
pá, pái 'peacock', cp. also páfugl
(ONP pá (sb.), pái (sb.); cp. páfugl (sb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
cp. Icel páfugl, Norw påfugl, Dan påfugl, Sw påfågel
OE Cognate
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
CCC2c