bustard

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a large, mainly ground-dwelling bird of open country in the Old World, with long legs and powerful flight

   A great bustard strode through the grass before taking heavily to the air.

From Middle English bustarde, through Anglo-Norman forms blending Old French bistarde and oustarde. The latter ultimately reflects Latin avis tarda, 'slow bird,' although bustards can run and fly rapidly. The family name Otididae comes from a separate Greek name for the bird.

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