Aberdevine

/ˌæbərˈdeɪvɪn/ noun

Definition

Alternative spelling of aberdavine; a small yellow and green finch native to northern Europe.

Etymology

Variant spelling of 'aberdavine,' reflecting different Scots pronunciations and spelling conventions from the 16th-17th centuries. The word originates from the bird's association with Aberdeen.

Kelly Says

The existence of multiple valid spellings like 'aberdevine' and 'aberdavine' reveals how pre-standardized English (and Scots) allowed regional variations to coexist—ornithologists didn't mind which version you used because the bird was the same.

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