oscine

adjective

os·​cine ˈä-ˌsīn How to pronounce oscine (audio)
: of or relating to a large suborder (Passeri) of passerine birds (such as larks, shrikes, finches, orioles, and crows) characterized by a vocal apparatus highly specialized for singing
oscine songbirds
tropical oscine species
oscine noun
plural oscines
an American oscine
Most oscines … learn their own species' song from when they are hatchlings to young adults. Wildlife Center of Virginia

Word History

Etymology

taken as singular of New Latin Oscines, earlier order or suborder name, plural of Latin oscin-, oscen "bird whose cry (rather than its flight) is taken to be an omen, songbird," from os-, assimilated variant of obs-, variant of ob-, prefix denoting opposition + -cin-, -cen, root noun from the base of canere "to sing, celebrate in song, (of birds) give a cry" — more at ob-, chant entry 1

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oscine was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near oscine

Cite this Entry

“Oscine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oscine. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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