ostrich

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English

Ostrich

Etymology

From Middle English ostrich, ostriche, ostryche, ostrige, borrowed from Anglo-Norman ostrige and Old French ostruce, from Vulgar Latin *austruthio, from Latin avis (“bird”) + strūthiō (“ostrich”), from Ancient Greek στρουθίων (strouthíōn), or shortened from strūthiocamēlus, from Ancient Greek στρουθιοκάμηλος (strouthiokámēlos), from στρουθός (strouthós, “sparrow”) + κάμηλος (kámēlos, “camel”). Compare Spanish avestruz and Portuguese avestruz.

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈɒs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/, /ˈɒs.tɹɪd͡ʒ/; enPR: ŏs'trĭch, ŏs'trĭj
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 333: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈɔs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/, /ˈɑs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/, /ˈɔs.tɹɪd͡ʒ/, /ˈɑs.tɹɪd͡ʒ/; enPR: ôs'trĭch, ŏs'trĭch, ôs'trĭj, ŏs'trĭj
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (US) (2):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɒstɹɪtʃ, -ɒstɹɪdʒ, -ɔstɹɪtʃ, -ɑstɹɪtʃ, -ɔstɹɪdʒ, -ɑstɹɪdʒ

Noun

ostrich (plural ostriches)

  1. (ornithology) A large flightless bird of the genus Struthio.
    1. The most widespread species of the genus, known as the common ostrich (Struthio camelus).
      • 1634 (first performance), William D’avenant [i.e., William Davenant], The Wits: A Comedie; […], published 1636; republished in Two Excellent Plays: […], London: […] G. Bedel, and T[homas] Collins, […], 1665, →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
        Could a Taff'ta ſcarf, a long Eſtridge vvhing, / A ſtiffe Iron Doublet, and a Brazeel Pole / Tempt thee from Cambrick ſheets, fine active Thighs, / From Caudles vvhere the precious Amber ſvvims?
      • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter II, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 17:
        "But is not this fortunate?" continued she, taking up a superb plume of white ostrich feathers, fastened by a small agraffe, enamelled so as to represent a bunch of violets; "this is just what you wanted for the velvet cap you are to wear at Madame de l'Hôpital's masked ball."
      • 2013 July 26, Nick Miroff, “Mexico gets a taste for eating insects […] ”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 32:
        The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters such as ostrich, wild boar and crocodile.
  2. (obsolete) The rhea.
    • 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 245:
      The Lengua Indians of the Gran Chaco love to hunt the ostrich
  3. (figuratively) One who buries their head in the sand instead of acknowledging problems.
  4. (golf) The hypothetical completion of a hole five strokes under par (a quintuple birdie, quadruple eagle, triple albatross, or double condor).

Alternative forms

Hyponyms

Species names

Coordinate terms

Terms relating to golf

Derived terms

Translations

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Translations to be checked

See also

Further reading

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman ostrige and continental Old French ostruce, from Vulgar Latin *austrūthiō.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɔstritʃ/, /ˈɔstridʒ/

Noun

ostrich (plural ostriches)

  1. ostrich (Struthio camelus)
  2. (rare) A goblet made of an ostrich egg.
  3. (rare, heraldry) A heraldic image of an ostrich.

Descendants

  • English: ostrich
  • Scots: ostriche (obsolete)
  • → Welsh: estrys

References

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