Where does “scrubbird” come from?

scrubbird (English) comes from English bird, from Middle English brid, from Old English bridd — young bird, chick; chicken.

scrubbird (English): A shy, secretive, ground-dwelling bird of the...

Definitions

  1. A shy, secretive, ground-dwelling bird of the...

Ancestry of “scrubbird”, step by step

scrubbird traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English bird

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbirdA member of the class of animals Aves in the...
2Middle Englishbrida young bird, a bird in general; Alternative form...
3Old Englishbriddyoung bird, chick; chicken

via English scrub

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscrubMean; dirty; contemptible; scrubby; One who...
2Middle Englishscrobbengroom a horse with a currycomb
3Middle Dutchschrobbenclean by scrubbing
Every word from Old English bridd