Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bird” come from?

Bird comes from Middle English brid, from Old English bridd, from Proto-Germanic brūdiz, a term of unknown origin and meaning.

bird (English): A member of the class of animals Aves in the...

Definitions

  1. A member of the class of animals Aves in the...

Ancestry of “bird”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbrida young bird, a bird in general; Alternative form...
2Old Englishbriddyoung bird, chick; chicken

Words derived from “bird”

  • Thunderbird
  • hummingbird
  • bluebird
  • birdsong
  • birdie
  • birding
  • birdlike
  • seabird
  • songbird
  • mockingbird
  • birdcage
  • ladybird
  • birdwatching
  • catbird
  • birdbath
  • cowbird
  • birdhouse
  • birder
  • birdlife
  • birdseed
  • jailbird
  • kingbird
  • shorebird
  • birdlime
Every word from Old English bridd →