Jun. 26th, 2012

ruddock

Jun. 26th, 2012 07:13 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
ruddock (RUHD-uhk) - n., the European robin.


Unlike the American robin, it is not a thrush but a flycatcher -- also, the reddish patch it is named for is on the throat and breast instead of the breast and belly. The word dates back to Old English ruddoc, related to ruddy in the sense of reddish, but is now mainly a dialect word.

"The Ouzell shrills, the Ruddock warbles soft" — Spencer, "Epithalamion"

Which gives us a bonus word, ouzel, which in this context is the European blackbird. (It's also a water bird called a ring dipper.)

---L.

March 2026

S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Mar. 6th, 2026 12:49 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios