avocet
|a-vo-cet|
B2
🇺🇸
/əˈvoʊsət/
🇬🇧
/əˈvɒsɪt/
wading bird with upturned bill
Etymology
Etymology Information
'avocet' originates from French, specifically the word 'avocette,' where the suffix '-ette' was a diminutive.
Historical Evolution
'avocet' was borrowed into English from French 'avocette' (17th century) and adapted in form to the modern English 'avocet.'
Meaning Changes
Initially and historically it referred to the same type of wading bird; the core meaning has largely remained the same.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a long‑legged wading bird with a slender, upcurved bill, typically black‑and‑white (family Recurvirostridae).
An avocet waded through the salt marsh, sweeping its long, upcurved bill for small crustaceans.
Synonyms
pied avocetRecurvirostra avosetta
Last updated: 2025/12/03 03:36