Ivory-Billed
/ˈaɪ.və.ri bɪld/noun
Describing a bird or object having a bill or beak that is pale like ivory.
Did you know?Ivory comes from Latin *ebur*, and its English form passed through Old French, carrying the prestige of carved tusk-material that was so prized it became a symbol of elite status and exploitation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁eḱwos?
“No established direct root for the English adjective itself; the first half ultimately comes from a separate ancient source for ivory/tusk.”
Latin
Latin
ebur
“ivory; tusk”
Old French
Old French
ivurie / yvoire
“ivory”
Middle English
English
ivorie
“ivory”
Modern English
English
ivory-billed
“having a bill or beak colored like ivory”