Ciconia

noun

Ci·co·nia | \ sə̇ˈkōnēə\

Definition of Ciconia

: the type genus of Ciconiidae including the common stork of Europe

History and Etymology for Ciconia

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Latin cicōnia “stork,” reduplicated formation of unknown origin

Note: Apparently introduced as a genus name by Mathurin Jacques Brisson in Ornithologie, ou Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux, tome 5 (Paris, 1760), p. 361 (Brisson’s Ciconia alba replacing Linnaeus’ Ardea ciconia as a name for the white stork). Attempts to link Latin cicōnia with the base of canere “to sing” (Indo-European *kh₂n-?) are very implausible in light of the fact that storks are mute and communicate aurally solely by bill-clattering.

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