any wading bird of the genera Ixobrychus and Botaurus, related and similar to the herons but with shorter legs and neck, a stouter body, and a booming call: family Ardeidae, order Ciconiiformes
Word origin
C14: from Old French butor, perhaps from Latin būtiō bittern + taurus bull; referring to its cry
bittern in British English2
(ˈbɪtən)
noun
the bitter liquid remaining after common salt has been crystallized out of sea water: a source of magnesium, bromine, and iodine compounds
Word origin
C17: variant of bittering
bittern in American English1
(ˈbɪtərn)
nounWord forms: pluralˈbitterns or ˈbittern
any of a subfamily (Botaurinae) of wading birds, including a genus (Botaurus) noted for the resounding, thumping call of the male
Word origin
ME bitor < OFr butor < VL *butitaurus < L butio, bittern (< echoic base *bu-) + taurus, small bird that imitates the lowing of oxen, lit., bull: see steer1
bittern in American English2
(ˈbɪtərn)
noun
the bitter liquid left after the crystallization of salt from brine