pewee
ˈpiːwiː
noun
Origin
English
pewee — onomatopoeic imitation of the bird's call
Overview
Meaning Now
- A small, brownish or grayish insect-eating bird of the genus Contopus, commonly known as the wood-pewee.
- A term sometimes applied to various other small birds, specifically in the flycatcher family.
Language path
English
Earliest form
pewee
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The name 'pewee' is a classic example of onomatopoeia, derived directly from the diagnostic, whistled 'pee-a-wee' song of the Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens). It reflects a common tradition in American ornithological naming where settlers or naturalists named birds after their most distinctive vocalizations.
Evolution
- 18th century
pewee
“small flycatching bird”
First recorded as an imitative name for the bird's call.
- 19th century
pewee
“standardized common name for species in the genus Contopus”
Connections
Word parts
pewee
root
imitative call of the bird
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Related to pewee
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.