English Explanatory Dictionary

widow bird

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of several species of birds in the family Viduidae, incorporating whydahs and widow finches.
  2. Any of several species of birds in the genus Euplectes.

Word forms

widow bird widow birds widowbird

Etymology

Compound of widow + bird. The name for the family Viduidae derives from the genus name Vidua, from post-classical Latin vidua (“widow”) for males' black plumage, which resembles the mourning clothes of a widow. Compare whydah, from Whydah, a city in the Kingdom of Dahomey, now Ouidah, Benin. The terms widow-bird and whydah-bird influenced one another due to association of one species with the city.

Derived words

long-tailed widowbird red-collared widowbird
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