plumage paradox
n.— «My original instinct to buy the best is what I call the plumage paradox. A peacock’s dilemma is that having a large, beautiful tail attracts females, but it also attracts predators. The message the tail sends to the female is that the peacock is genetically superior: in spite of the dangers of exposing himself, he has managed to outfox the foxes.» —“Financial Darwinism: The Plumage Paradox” Forbes Dec. 11, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
You know when a cat’s tail goes straight up and appears to vibrate? Emily from Coventry, Rhode Island, says her family has their own word for that: fribbling. She says her family also made up the word bomple to denote the action of fruit...
“What has a head like a cat, feet like a cat, a tail like a cat, but isn’t a cat?” Answer: a kitten! A 1948 children’s joke book has lots of these to share with kids. Plus: an easy explanation for the difference between...