colin

colin — noun

1. a small North American bird of the quail family, with brown, white, and black ma

1.名詞C1
釋義

a small North American bird of the quail family, with brown, white, and black markings and a clear two-note whistle — often hunted as a game bird, the colin is also called the bobwhite and includes several very similar wild species across the United States and Mexico.

例句

Emma spotted a colin scurrying across the dirt path in the state park.

colin + habitat: scurrying across dirt path

The farmer said the whistling sound was a male colin calling for a mate.

colin + distinctive whistling call

同義詞
  • bobwhite

    more specific — refers to the best-known species (Colinus virginianus)

  • quail

    broader category — colins are a subgroup of the quail family

  • partridge

    sometimes used loosely in North America, though colins are not true partridges

文法句型

a + colin

plural: colins

用法筆記

Frequently used with the definite article ('the colin') when referring to the species as a whole. In hunting and birdwatching contexts, 'colin' can refer either to the bobwhite specifically or to any of the closely related New World quails in the genus Colinus.

常見錯誤

❌Colin is a small bird found in North America.' (capitalized like a person's name).
✅A colin is a small bird found in North America.
💡The bird is always written in lowercase; capitalise 'Colin' only for the male given name.