Ostrich
/ˈɒs.trɪtʃ/noun
A large flightless bird with a long neck and legs, native to Africa.
Did you know?The English word ultimately traces back to Greek and Latin forms meaning “sparrow-camel,” a vivid ancient comparison that shows how early observers tried to name the bird by its most uncanny features.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
strouthokamēlos
“literally “sparrow-camel,” a descriptive name for the ostrich”
Late Latin
Latin
struthio
“an ostrich”
Old French
OF
ostruce / estruce
“an ostrich”
Middle English
English
ostrich
“an ostrich”
Modern English
English
ostrich
“a large flightless bird with a long neck and legs”