A playful or childish term for a small bird, especially any common songbird; also used in the British phrase 'not a dickybird' meaning nothing at all.
From 'dicky' (an old term for a small thing) combined with 'bird.' The word has roots in children's language and nursery rhymes, particularly British usage from the 19th century onward.
The phrase 'not a dickybird' became famous in cockney rhyming slang and British comedy—it's one of the few children's words that adults actually kept using, making it a rare example of kiddie-speak that didn't disappear with childhood.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.