osprey
English
An osprey.
An osprey in flight.
Etymology
From Late Middle English ospray, from Anglo-Norman ospriet, from Medieval Latin avis prede (“bird of prey”), a generic term apparently confused with this specific bird in Old French on its similarity to ossifrage.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɑspɹi/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɒspɹeɪ/
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Noun
osprey (plural ospreys)
- A bird of prey (Pandion haliaetus) that feeds on fish and has white underparts and long, narrow wings each ending in four finger-like extensions.
- 1594, George Peele (attributed), The Battle of Alcazar
- I will provide thee of a princely osprey.
- 1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher; William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, OCLC 1170464517, (please specify the page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- But (oh Jove!) your actions, / Soon as they move, as ospreys do the fish, / Subdue before they touch.
- 1594, George Peele (attributed), The Battle of Alcazar
- aigrette (ornamental feather)
Synonyms
- fish eagle (a misnomer as the osprey is not an eagle, but compare some of the translations below)
- fish hawk (a misnomer as the osprey is not a hawk)
- orfray (obsolete)
- ossifrage (from Latin "bone-breaker")
- osspringer (obsolete)
Translations
bird of prey
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Anagrams
- Poyers