any of several American wood warblers of the genus Parula, esp. P. americana (northern parula), having bluish plumage with a yellow throat and breast
Also called: parula warbler
Word origin
[‹ NL Parula a genus name, alter. of Parulus an earlier genus name, equiv. to LL pār(us) titmouse (akin to L parra a bird whose cry was considered a bad omen) + L -ulus-ule]