Whippoorwill
/ˈwɪp.pʊrˌwɪl/noun
A nocturnal North American bird whose repeated call resembles the phrase “whip-poor-will.”
Did you know?Whippoorwill is an example of onomatopoeia: English speakers reshaped the bird’s haunting call into words, much as folklore transformed nocturnal animal sounds into omens and mysteries.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
English
whip-poor-will
“A phonetic rendering of the bird’s characteristic nighttime call, recorded in North American English.”
18th Century
English
whippoorwill
“A consolidated spelling for the nocturnal goatsucker bird, later identified scientifically as Caprimulgus vociferus.”
18th Century
Latin
Caprimulgus vociferus
“The scientific name: “goat-milker” and “loud-calling”; the old genus name reflects a folklore belief that these birds suckled goats.”
19th Century
English
whippoorwill
“The standard common name for the bird, also written “whip-poor-will” in some usage.”
Modern English
English
whippoorwill
“A nocturnal or crepuscular North American nightjar known for its repetitive, distinctive call.”