bird
/bɜːrd/
noun
Origin
Old English
brid — young bird, fledgling
Overview
Meaning Now
- A warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, and a beak.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
brid
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word originally referred specifically to the young of a bird, while the Old English word 'fugel' (modern 'fowl') was the general term for all avian life. Over time, 'bird' replaced the general term, a common shift in Germanic languages.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*brūdiz
“young bird”
Reconstructed form
- Old English
brid
“young bird”
Original meaning limited to the young of a bird
- Middle English
bird
“bird; fledgling”
Metathesis of 'r' occurred during this period
- Early Modern English
bird
“any avian creature”
Extended from 'fledgling' to the general category
Connections
Word parts
bird
root
avian creature
Related across languages
Old Frisian
young bird
Low German
breid
young bird
Explore next
Related to bird
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.