bittern
noun /ˈbɪtən/
/ˈbɪtərn/
- a European bird of the heron family, that lives on wet ground and has a loud callWord Originlate Middle English bitore, from Old French butor, based on Latin butio ‘bittern’ + taurus ‘bull’ (because of its call). The -n was added in the 16th cent., perhaps by association with hern, obsolete variant of heron.