To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of nightingale
(Entry 1 of 2)
: an Old World thrush (Luscinia megarhynchos synonym Erithacus megarhynchos) noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male also : any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night
Nightingale
biographical nameDefinition of Nightingale (Entry 2 of 2)
Florence 1820–1910 English nurse and philanthropist
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Semantic Drift Quiz
A challenging quiz of changing words.
Take the quizA Thanksgiving Word Quiz
We are thankful for obscure words.
Take the quizSpell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quizDictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share nightingale
Time Traveler for nightingale
The first known use of nightingale was in the 13th century
See more words from the same century