Uropygium
/ˌjʊərəˈpɪdʒiəm/noun
The rump or posterior dorsal region of a bird, especially the area bearing the tail feathers.
Did you know?The uropygium contains the preen gland in many birds, whose oily secretion is spread over the feathers during grooming and was historically associated with the bird’s water-resistant, almost magical quality.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
οὐρά (ourá)
“Tail”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πυγή (pygḗ)
“Buttocks, rump, or posterior”
Late Antiquity
Greek
οὐροπύγιον (ourypýgion)
“A tail-rump or posterior region, formed from οὐρά and πυγή”
17th Century
New Latin
uropygium
“The rump or tail region of a bird”
Modern English
English
uropygium
“The dorsal posterior region of a bird, including the base of the tail”