waxwings
|wax-wings|
/ˈwækswɪŋ/
(waxwing)
songbird with wax-like tips on wing feathers
Etymology
'waxwing' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'wax' and 'wing,' where 'wax' referred to the wax-like tips on the bird’s secondary feathers and 'wing' meant 'a bird’s wing.'
'waxwing' changed from a descriptive English compound 'wax' + 'wing' used by early naturalists and eventually became the modern English word 'waxwing'.
Initially, it meant 'a bird with wax-like tips on its wing feathers,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'waxwing'.
Cedar waxwings often travel in large flocks.
Noun 2
any of several sleek, crested songbirds of the genus Bombycilla, noted for the red, wax-like tips on their secondary wing feathers (e.g., the cedar waxwing and the Bohemian waxwing).
In winter, waxwings descend on berry-laden trees.
Last updated: 2025/08/10 13:03