Par·tridge n.  Zool.
 1. Any one of numerous species of small gallinaceous birds of the genus Perdix and several related genera of the family Perdicidæ, of the Old World.  The partridge is noted as a game bird.
    Full many a fat partrich had he in mew.   --Chaucer.
 Note: ☞ The common European, or gray, partridge (Perdix cinerea) and the red-legged partridge (Caccabis rubra) of Southern Europe and Asia are well-known species.
 2. Any one of several species of quail-like birds belonging to Colinus, and allied genera. [U.S.]
 Note: ☞ Among them are the bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) of the Eastern States; the plumed, or mountain, partridge (Oreortyx pictus) of California; the Massena partridge (Cyrtonyx Montezumæ); and the California partridge (Callipepla Californica).
 3. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). [New Eng.]
 Bamboo partridge Zool., a spurred partridge of the genus Bambusicola.  Several species are found in China and the East Indies.
 Night partridge Zool., the woodcock. [Local, U.S.]
 Painted partridge Zool., a francolin of South Africa (Francolinus pictus).
 Partridge berry. Bot. (a) The scarlet berry of a trailing american plant (Mitchella repens) of the order Rubiaceæ, having roundish evergreen leaves, and white fragrant flowers sometimes tinged with purple, growing in pairs with the ovaries united, and producing the berries which remain over winter; also, the plant itself. (b) The fruit of the creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens); also, the plant itself.
 Partridge dove Zool. Same as Mountain witch, under Mountain.
 Partridge pea Bot., a yellow-flowered leguminous herb (Cassia Chamæcrista), common in sandy fields in the Eastern United States.
 Partridge shell Zool., a large marine univalve shell (Dolium perdix), having colors variegated like those of the partridge.
 Partridge wood (a) A variegated wood, much esteemed for cabinetwork.  It is obtained from tropical America, and one source of it is said to be the leguminous tree Andira inermis.  Called also pheasant wood. (b) A name sometimes given to the dark-colored and striated wood of some kind of palm, which is used for walking sticks and umbrella handles.
 Sea partridge Zool., an Asiatic sand partridge (Ammoperdix Bonhami); -- so called from its note.
 Snow partridge Zool., a large spurred partridge (Lerwa nivicola) which inhabits the high mountains of Asia; called also jermoonal.
 Spruce partridge. See under Spruce.
 Wood partridge, or Hill partridge Zool., any small Asiatic partridge of the genus Arboricola.

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 Win·ter·green n. Bot. A plant which keeps its leaves green through the winter.
 Note: ☞ In England, the name wintergreen is applied to the species of Pyrola which in America are called English wintergreen, and shin leaf  (see Shin leaf, under Shin.)  In America, the name wintergreen is given to Gaultheria procumbens, a low evergreen aromatic plant with oval leaves clustered at the top of a short stem, and bearing small white flowers followed by red berries; -- called also checkerberry, and sometimes, though improperly, partridge berry.
 Chickweed wintergreen, a low perennial primulaceous herb (Trientalis Americana); -- also called star flower.
 Flowering wintergreen, a low plant (Polygala paucifolia) with leaves somewhat like those of the wintergreen (Gaultheria), and bearing a few showy, rose-purple blossoms.
 oil of wintergreen, An aromatic oil, consisting almost entirely of methyl salicylate (CH3CO.O.C6H4.OH), obtained by distillation of an extract of the wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens); it can also be obtained from some other plants.  It is used as a flavoring agent for tooth powders and pastes, sometimes combined with menthol or eucalyptus.  It is called also oil of teaberry, oil of partridgeberry, and oil of gaultheria.
 Spotted wintergreen, a low evergreen plant (Chimaphila maculata) with ovate, white-spotted leaves.

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 Box·ber·ry n. Bot. The wintergreen. (Gaultheria procumbens). [Local, U.S.]

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 Check·er·ber·ry n.; pl. Checkerberries  Bot. A spicy plant and its bright red berry; the wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens).  Also incorrectly applied to the partridge berry (Mitchella repens).

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 Gaul·the·ri·a n.  Bot. A genus of ericaceous shrubs with evergreen foliage, and, often, edible berries. It includes the American winter-green (Gaultheria procumbens), and the larger-fruited salal of Northwestern America (Gaultheria Shallon).

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 Gaultheria procumbens
      n : creeping shrub of eastern North America having white
          bell-shaped flowers followed by spicy red berrylike fruit
          and shiny aromatic leaves that yield wintergreen oil
          [syn: teaberry, wintergreen, checkerberry, {mountain
          tea, groundberry, ground-berry, {creeping
          wintergreen]