English Explanatory Dictionary

bittern

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Several bird species in the Botaurinae subfamily of the heron family Ardeidae.
noun
  1. The liquor remaining after halite (common salt) has been harvested from saline water (brine).
  2. The saline substance added to soy milk to coagulate it as a primary step in the production of tofu.
  3. A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer.
name
  1. A town in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

Pronunciation

/ˈbɪtən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-bittern.wav /ˈbɪtəɹn/

Word forms

bittern bitterns

Etymology

From Middle English bitour, botor, from Old French butor, from Gallo-Roman *butitaurus, a blend of Latin būtiō (“bittern”) and taurus (“bull, ox”).

Related words

Animals bumble egret marsh wader

Derived words

American bittern Australasian bittern black bittern cinnamon bittern common bittern dwarf bittern Eurasian bittern forest bittern least bittern little bittern New Zealand bittern pinnated bittern stripe-backed bittern sunbittern sun bittern sun-bittern Von Schrenck's bittern yellow bittern
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