Where does “whipbird” come from?
whipbird (English) comes from English bird, from Middle English brid, from Old English bridd — young bird, chick; chicken.
whipbird (English): Any of various Australian songbirds in the genus...
Definitions
- Any of various Australian songbirds in the genus...
Ancestry of “whipbird”, step by step
whipbird traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
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 |
via English whip
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | whip | A lash; a pliant, flexible instrument, such as a... |
| 2 | Middle English | whippen | — |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | wippen | to swing, leap, dance, oscillate |