bittern

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a secretive, brown-streaked marsh bird of the heron family, noted for the male's deep booming call

   A bittern boomed from the reed bed shortly before dawn.

From Middle English bitour or botor and Old French butor. The French form has traditionally been traced to a Gallo-Roman blend of Latin butio, 'bittern,' and taurus, 'bull,' supposedly referring to the bird's bull-like booming call, though that ancient explanation may be fanciful. English later added an unetymological final n.

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