birdeenn.
/bəːˈdiːn/, /ˈbəːdiːn/, U.S. /bərˈdin/, Irish English /bəːrˈdiːn/, /ˈbəːrdiːn/ colloquial (originally and chiefly Irish English).
1. A pet name (or a child's name) for: a small or young bird.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > young bird > [noun]
birdOE
chicka1398
chickena1398
brancher?a1400
pulla1500
birdling1611
puler1611
pullus1653
squeaker1654
birdeen1829
chicklet1836
baby bird1841
chirpling1888
1829 A. M. Hall Sketches Irish Char. II. 200 ‘The poor harmless birdeens,’ said Corry, ‘Alice, do you know, I never could hurt one of thim small things.’
1916 C. A. Renshaw England's Boys 58 I can hear your sleepy birdeens in their swaying moonlit nest.
1981 Irish Times 7 Nov. 9/4 I..heard her say to a winsome little toddler of two years or so: ‘Look at the birdeens up on the wireen.’
2. A young girl (used as a playful form of address). Cf. colleen n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > child > girl > [noun] > as term of address
girl1562
sis1596
missy1676
little woman1790
birdeen1840
missikins1923
1840 A. M. Hall Marian I. vi. 73 ‘Bad cess to the ruffles! Ah, jewel, war ye! my birdeen! and whisht!’ she said to the still sobbing infant.
1895 ‘F. Macleod’ Mountain Lovers iii. 61 I am sure, birdeen.
2008 A. Proulx Fine just Way It Is 55 He began to blubber.., calling her his little birdeen.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
n.1829