Etymology

From a Vulgar Latin root *coturnicla < *coturnicula < Latin coturnix. How the word arrived at its current state has been explained different ways: through a hypothetical *perturnicula by influence or contamination from perdix, perdicula, or of *pernicula < pernix, or by a pronunciation *quoturnix (compare the 'qu-' to 'p-' sound shift in Romanian languages). Compare Romanian potârniche (cf. regional variant păturniche).