blackbird

IPA/ˈblækbɜːd/
KK[blˈækbɚd]IPA/ˈblækbɜːrd/

blackbird — noun

1. a common bird in Europe whose male has dark glossy plumage and an orange-yellow

1.nounB2
Definition

a common bird in Europe whose male has dark glossy plumage and an orange-yellow beak, while the female bird is brown rather than black.

Example

Liang heard a male blackbird singing from the apple tree at dawn.

male blackbird + sing at dawn

Zuri watched a blackbird pull a worm from the wet garden soil.

blackbird + pull a worm

Common collocations
  • male blackbird
  • female blackbird
  • blackbird song
  • blackbird's beak
Synonyms
  • thrush

    a wider bird family term; a blackbird is one member of it

  • songbird

    a broad label for birds known for singing, not a precise species name

Grammar Patterns

a blackbird

male blackbird

female blackbird

Usage Note

In British English, blackbird usually means this garden songbird. In North America, the same word often refers instead to the different bird group in sense 2.

2. one of a number of birds found in North America whose males are mostly black, in

2.nounC1
Definition

one of a number of birds found in North America whose males are mostly black, including species such as the red-winged blackbird.

Example

Mauricio pointed out a red-winged blackbird clinging to the reeds by the lake.

red-winged blackbird

Farmers tried to scare the blackbirds away from the corn field.

blackbirds in crops

Common collocations
  • red-winged blackbird
  • flock of blackbirds
  • blackbirds in the cornfield
Synonyms
  • icterid

    technical bird-study term for a member of this family, not everyday vocabulary

  • grackle

    one kind of North American blackbird, not a full synonym for every species

Grammar Patterns

a blackbird

flock of blackbirds

red-winged blackbird

Usage Note

In North American English, blackbird often names several related species. It does not usually mean the European garden bird in sense 1.

blackbird — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These bird names overlap in colour but not in identity. In British English, blackbird usually means the common garden songbird with the yellow-orange beak in sense 1. A crow is larger, has a heavier build, and belongs to a different group of birds. A raven is even bigger, with a thicker beak and a deeper, rougher call. A starling may look dark from a distance, but it is smaller, often glossy with spots, and usually moves in noisy flocks. If a learner sees a medium-sized garden bird in Britain with a bright beak and a clear song, blackbird is the best name.

blackbird ↗crow ↗raven ↗starling

Common collocations

Nouns

  • male blackbird
  • blackbird song
  • red-winged blackbird
  • blackbird nest

Phrases

  • hear a blackbird sing
  • scare blackbirds from crops

Prepositions

  • a blackbird in the garden
  • a blackbird on the lawn

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The noun blackbird is a straightforward Old English compound of black and bird, first used for a dark-coloured bird. The historical verb grew later from the noun in colonial-era usage connected with forced labour voyages in the Pacific.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb