noun
Uncommon
nightingale
NEYE-tihng-gayl
Nightingale (noun) means a small brownish songbird, native to Europe and parts of Africa and Asia, famous for its rich, often nighttime song. Example: “Poets have long celebrated the nightingale's song.”
noun
1
A small brownish songbird, native to Europe and parts of Africa and Asia, famous for its rich, often nighttime song.
"Poets have long celebrated the nightingale's song."
How to use nightingale
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small bird famous for singing beautifully at night.
Common pairings
the song of the nightingale
a nightingale sang
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Word forms
- Plural
- nightingales
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Poets have long celebrated the _____'s song.
Etymology
From Old English nihtegale, literally "night-singer," from night plus an old word related to "gale" meaning "song" or "call."
Rhymes for nightingale
See all rhymes for nightingale →Frequently asked questions
What does “nightingale” mean?
The word “nightingale” means a small brownish songbird, native to Europe and parts of Africa and Asia, famous for its rich, often nighttime song. In plain terms, a small bird famous for singing beautifully at night.
How do you pronounce “nightingale”?
“Nightingale” is pronounced NEYE-tihng-gayl (/ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “nightingale” in a sentence?
Here is “nightingale” used in a sentence: “Poets have long celebrated the nightingale's song.”
What part of speech is “nightingale”?
“Nightingale” is a noun.
Where does the word “nightingale” come from?
The word “nightingale” comes from Old English. From Old English nihtegale, literally "night-singer," from night plus an old word related to "gale" meaning "song" or "call.".
Is “nightingale” a common word?
“Nightingale” is an uncommon word in modern English.
