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bittern in British English 1
(ˈbɪtən)
noun
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 crybittern in British English 2
(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 bitteringbittern in American English 1
(ˈbɪtərn)
nounWord forms: plural ˈbitterns 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 steer1bittern in American English 2
(ˈbɪtərn)
noun
the bitter liquid left after the crystallization of salt from brine
Word origin
prob. < dial. bittering < bitter + -ingSynonyms of 'bittern'
Word lists withbittern
birdImage ofbittern
© Wilfred Marissen, shutterstock
Nearby words ofbittern
- biting
- bitter
- bitterly
- bittern
- bitterness
- bitty
- bizarre
Synonyms of 'bittern'
bittern
Explore 'bittern' in the dictionary
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