Where does “pilotbird” come from?
pilotbird (English) comes from English pilot, from Middle French pilot, from Italian piloto, from Latin pillottus.
pilotbird (English): Pycnoptilus floccosus, an Australian acanthizid
Definitions
- Pycnoptilus floccosus, an Australian acanthizid
Ancestry of “pilotbird”, step by step
pilotbird traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English pilot
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | pilot | A person who steers a ship, a helmsman; A person... |
| 2 | Middle French | pilot | stake |
| 3 | Italian | piloto | first-person singular present indicative of... |
| 4 | Latin | pillottus | — |
via English bird
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bird | A member of the class of animals Aves in the... |
| 2 | Middle English | brid | a young bird, a bird in general; Alternative form... |
| 3 | Old English | bridd | young bird, chick; chicken |