bird
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for bird, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A warm-blooded egg-laying animal with feathers, wings, and a beak.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use bird
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
The "woman" sense is British slang and can sound outdated or disrespectful depending on context.
Etymology
From Old English bridd, originally meaning specifically a young or small bird before broadening to cover birds generally.
Full origin of bird →Frequently asked questions
What does “bird” mean?
The word “bird” means a warm-blooded egg-laying animal with feathers, wings, and a beak. In plain terms, a feathered flying animal — plus several slang meanings for a woman, an aircraft, or a rude hand gesture.
How do you pronounce “bird”?
“Bird” is pronounced BURD (/ˈbɝd/ in IPA).
How do you use “bird” in a sentence?
Here is “bird” used in a sentence: “A bird landed on the windowsill.”
What is another word for “bird”?
Words with a similar meaning to “bird” include avian, birdie, feathered friend and fowl.
What part of speech is “bird”?
“Bird” is a noun.
Where does the word “bird” come from?
The word “bird” comes from Old English. From Old English bridd, originally meaning specifically a young or small bird before broadening to cover birds generally.
Is “bird” a common word?
“Bird” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “bird” have?
“Bird” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a warm-blooded egg-laying animal with feathers, wings, and a beak.
What makes an animal a bird?
Feathers are the defining feature — no other living animal has them. Birds are also warm-blooded, lay eggs, and have wings, a beak instead of teeth, and lightweight bones. While most can fly, feathers are the one trait shared by every bird and by nothing else alive today.
Can all birds fly?
No. Although wings and flight define birds in most people's minds, several species are flightless. Ostriches, emus, and kiwis run instead, while penguins use their wings to swim. These birds still have feathers and lay eggs, so they remain true birds despite never leaving the ground.
Are birds related to dinosaurs?
Yes. Scientists widely agree that birds descended from small, feathered theropod dinosaurs, making them the closest living relatives of creatures like Tyrannosaurus rex. In effect, modern birds are living dinosaurs, which is why they share features such as hollow bones and egg-laying with their ancient ancestors.
What are the main types of birds?
Birds are grouped into families by shared traits: songbirds such as sparrows and robins, birds of prey like eagles and owls, waterfowl including ducks and swans, seabirds, and flightless birds. There are roughly ten thousand species worldwide, ranging from tiny hummingbirds to towering ostriches.