Avestruz

/ˌɑːvɛsˈtrus/ noun

Definition

A Spanish or Portuguese word for ostrich, the large flightless bird from Africa.

Etymology

From Latin 'avis' (bird) combined with influences from Romance languages. This word shows how Latin's bird vocabulary evolved differently across Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions, with some influence from earlier Iberian languages.

Kelly Says

The word 'avestruz' is fascinating because it literally means 'bird-ostrich' in its Latin roots, and Spanish speakers kept using this compound form while English borrowed 'ostrich' directly from Arabic, showing how trade routes shaped our vocabulary.

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