English Explanatory Dictionary

wheatear

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of various passerine birds of the genus Oenanthe that feed on insects,
  2. especially, the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
noun
  1. An ear of wheat.
  2. A decorative pattern resembling an ear of wheat.
  3. An anomalous form of carnation, producing small green ears instead of flowers.

Pronunciation

/ˈʍiːtɪəɹ/ /ˈwiːtɪəɹ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wheatear.wav

Word forms

wheatear wheatears white-ear

Etymology

Uncertain. Probably a back-formation from Middle English whit ers (“white arse”), after the prominent white rump of many species. Compare dialect forms white rump, white-tail. Possibly a compound of wheat + ear or white + ear. Attested since the seventeenth century as wheat-ears or wheatgear.

Synonyms

clodhopper fallow-chat fallow-smiter

Derived words

Atlas wheatear desert wheatear isabelline wheatear northern wheatear pied wheatear western black-eared wheatear wheatear stitch

Translations

Asturian: bicha Bulgarian: сиво каменарче Chechen: тӏулган гӏайренашкара хьоза Czech: bělořit Dutch: tapuit Faroese: steinstólpa Finnish: kivitasku French: traquet German: Steinschmätzer Ancient Greek: οἰνάνθη Hungarian: hantmadár Ingrian: naksuttaja Ingrian: rauniopappi Ingrian: pappiraunio Irish: clochrán Navajo: tsékʼi dǫ́ʼiiyiyiitsahí Norman: blianche-coue Norwegian Bokmål: steinskvett Polish: białorzytka Russian: ка́менка Inari-Sami: keđgirástágâš Lule-Sami: gierggerástes Northern Sami: geađgerásttis Scottish Gaelic: clacharan Scottish Gaelic: brù-gheal Spanish: collalba Swedish: steinskvätta Turkish: kuyrukkakan Welsh: tinwen y garn
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