English Explanatory Dictionary

mesite

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of three species of bird in the family Mesitornithidae within the order Mesitornithiformes, endemic to Madagascar.

Word forms

mesite mesites

Etymology

From French mésite (“mesite”), named by the zoologist Isidore Geoffroy in 1838. Perhaps from Ancient Greek μεσίτης (mesítēs, “mediator”), for these birds are of medium size.

Derived words

brown mesite Mesitornis unicolor subdesert mesite Monias benschi white-breasted mesite Mesitornis variegatus
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