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Webster 1913 Edition

Nightingale

Night′in-gale

,
Noun.
[OE.
nihtegale
,
nightingale
, AS.
nihtegale
;
niht
night +
galan
to sing, akin to E.
yell
; cf. D.
nachtegaal
, OS.
nahtigala
, OHG.
nahtigala
, G.
nachtigall
, Sw.
näktergal
, Dan.
nattergal
. See
Night
, and
Yell
.]
1.
(Zool.)
A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird (
Luscinia megarhynchos
syn.
Luscinia luscinia
). It sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its song.
2.
(Zool.)
A larger species (
Lucinia philomela
), of Eastern Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The name is also applied to other allied species.
Mock nightingale
.
(Zool.)
See
Blackcap
,
Noun.
, 1
(a)
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Nightingale

NIGHTINGALE

,
Noun.
1.
A small bird that sings at night, of the genus Motacilla; Philomela or Philomel.
2.
A word of endearment.

Definition 2024

nightingale

nightingale

English

Nightingale

Noun

nightingale ‎(plural nightingales)

  1. A European songbird, Luscinia megarhynchos, of the family Muscicapidae.
    • Mary Shelley, chapter 5 in the first part of The Last Man
      The oaks around were the home of a tribe of nightingales

Synonyms

Translations

See also

Etymology

From Middle English nightingale, niȝtingale, alteration (with intrusive n) of nightegale, from Old English nihtegala, nihtegale ‎(“nightingale; night-raven”, literally “night-singer”), from Proto-Germanic *nahtigalǭ ‎(“nightingale”), equivalent to night +‎ gale. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Noachtegoal ‎(“nightingale”), Dutch nachtegaal ‎(“nightingale”), German Low German Nachtigall ‎(“nightingale”), German Nachtigall ‎(“nightingale”), Danish nattergal ‎(“nightingale”), Swedish näktergal ‎(“nightingale”), Icelandic næturgali ‎(“nightingale”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/

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