Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Pheasant \Pheas"ant\, n. [OE. fesant, fesaunt, OF. faisant,
   faisan, F. faisan, L. phasianus, Gr. ? (sc. ?) the Phasian
   bird, pheasant, fr. ? a river in Colchis or Pontus.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of large
      gallinaceous birds of the genus {Phasianus}, and many
      other genera of the family {Phasianid[ae]}, found chiefly
      in Asia.

Source : WordNet®

pheasant
     n 1: large long-tailed gallinaceous bird native to the Old World
          but introduced elsewhere
     2: flesh of a pheasant; usually braised