Aberdavine

/ˌæbərˈdeɪvɪn/ noun

Definition

A small yellowish-green songbird, also called a siskin, found in Europe and Asia.

Etymology

Named after Aberdeen, Scotland, where this bird was supposedly common or first observed. The '-vine' or '-davine' suffix may derive from 'divine' or be a Scots diminutive form from the 17th century ornithological naming tradition.

Kelly Says

This word is a charming example of how Scots place names got baked into English bird names—'aberdavine' tells us that medieval Scottish observers were prolific enough at naming local wildlife that their regional tags stuck permanently in ornithology.

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