francolinn.

Etymology: Partly (in β. forms) < French francolin (1298 in Old French in Marco Polo; earlier as frinquilin (a1272 in a source from Italy, also franquilin ), in this form apparently via post-classical Latin franquillinus (a1248 in an Italian source)), and partly (in α. forms) < its apparent etymon Italian francolino (although this is first attested later than the French word: 1310 in a translation of Marco Polo), of uncertain origin; the first element is perhaps franco free (see frank adj.²). Compare post-classical Latin francolinus (15th cent.). Compare also Catalan francolí (late 15th cent.), Spanish francolín (1423), probably < French.Although the word is attested in Latin and French before it is in Italian, the fact that the earliest sources are from Italy suggests that the Italian word is probably the etymon of the others. It has been suggested that the second element was originally < Old French corlieu curlew n., but this poses semantic as well as formal problems. An alternative suggestion that the Italian word may be related to post-classical Latin fringilla chaffinch, finch (see fringillaceous adj.), via Italian regional (northern) frangol, also poses semantic problems.