ostrich

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English[edit]

Ostrich

Etymology[edit]

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[edit]

Noun[edit]

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?
      • a. 1683 (date written), Thomas Browne, “[Unpublished Papers.] On the Ostrich.”, in Simon Wilkin, editor, Sir Thomas Browne’s Works […], volume IV, London: William Pickering; Norwich, Norfolk: Josiah Fletcher, →OCLC, page 337:
        The Ostrich hath a compounded name in Greek and Latin—Struthio-Camelus, borrowed from a bird and a beast, as being a feathered and biped animal, yet in some ways like a camel; somewhat in the long neck; somewhat in the foot; and, as some imagine, from a camel-like position in the part of generation.
      • 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[edit]

Hyponyms[edit]

Species names

Coordinate terms[edit]

Terms relating to golf

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈɔstritʃ/, /ˈɔstridʒ/

Noun[edit]

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[edit]

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

References[edit]

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