'gallopavo' originates from New Latin (scientific Latin), ultimately from Latin elements 'gallus' and 'pavo', where 'gallus' meant 'rooster' and 'pavo' meant 'peacock' or 'turkey'.

'gallopavo' was formed in New Latin as a compound of the Latin words 'gallus' + 'pavo' and was adopted as the species epithet in the binomial name 'Meleagris gallopavo'.

Initially it literally combined the meanings 'rooster' and 'peacock' (a compound of two bird names); over time it has been stabilized as a technical term used as the scientific name for the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).