ostrich
nounUK /ˈɒs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/ · US /ˈɔs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/
Etymology From Middle English ostrich, ostriche, ostryche, ostrige, borrowed from Anglo-Norman ostrige and Old French ostruce, from Vulgar Latin *austruthio, from Latin avis (“bird”) + strūthiō (“ostrich”), from Ancient Greek στρουθίων (strouthíōn), or shortened from strūthiocamēlus, from Ancient Greek στρουθοκᾰ́μηλος (strouthokắmēlos), from στρουθός (strouthós, “sparrow”) + κάμηλος (kámēlos, “camel”). Compare Spanish avestruz and Portuguese avestruz.
Biology, Natural sciences, Ornithology A large flightless bird of the order Struthioniformes.
Biology, Natural sciences, Ornithology The most widespread species of that order, known as the common ostrich (Struthio camelus).
- Could a Taff'ta ſcarf, a long Eſtridge vvhing, / A ſtiffe Iron Doublet, and a Brazeel Pole / Tempt thee from Cambrick ſheets, fine active Thighs, / From Caudles vvhere the precious Amber ſvvims?1634 (first performance), William D’avenant [i.e., William Davenant], The Wits: A Comedie; […], published 1636; republished in Two Excellent Plays: […], London: […] G. Bedel, and T[homas] Collins, […], 1665, →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
- The Ostrich hath a compounded name in Greek and Latin—Struthio-Camelus, borrowed from a bird and a beast, as being a feathered and biped animal, yet in some ways like a camel; somewhat in the long neck; somewhat in the foot; and, as some imagine, from a camel-like position in the part of generation.a. 1683 (date written), Thomas Browne, “[Unpublished Papers.] On the Ostrich.”, in Simon Wilkin, editor, Sir Thomas Browne’s Works […], volume IV, London: William Pickering; Norwich, Norfolk: Josiah Fletcher, →OCLC, page 337:
2 more examples
- "But is not this fortunate?" continued she, taking up a superb plume of white ostrich feathers, fastened by a small agraffe, enamelled so as to represent a bunch of violets; "this is just what you wanted for the velvet cap you are to wear at Madame de l'Hôpital's masked ball."1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter II, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 17:
- The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters such as ostrich, wild boar and crocodile.2013 July 26, Nick Miroff, “Mexico gets a taste for eating insects […] ”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, page 32:
Obsolete The rhea.
- The Lengua Indians of the Gran Chaco love to hunt the ostrich1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 8, page 245:
Figuratively One who buries their head in the sand instead of acknowledging problems.
- Derived terms
- ostrich dinosaur, ostrich fern, ostrich instruction, ostrichism, ostrichitis, ostrichize, ostrichlike, ostrich policy, ostrich politics, ostrichy, osturducken
- Hyponyms
- American ostrich, Arabian ostrich, Asian ostrich, Barbary ostrich, black-necked ostrich, Cape ostrich, common ostrich, East African ostrich, Masai ostrich, North African ostrich, pink-necked ostrich, red-necked ostrich, Somali ostrich, blue-necked ostrich, South African ostrich, southern ostrich, Syrian ostrich