birdlike

See also: bird-like

English

Alternative forms

• bird-like

Etymology

Etymology tree

Old English bridd

Middle English brid

English bird

Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der.

Proto-Germanic *līkąder.

Proto-Germanic *-līkaz

Proto-West Germanic *-līk

Old English -līċ

Middle English -like

English -like

English birdlike

From bird + -like.

Adjective

birdlike (comparative more birdlike, superlative most birdlike)

1. Similar to a bird or an aspect of a bird; reminiscent of birds.

   Synonyms: avianlike, avian, birdly, birdy; see also Thesaurus:birdlike

   a birdlike song; birdlike eyes

   • 1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 237:

     Once or twice I heard a faint pitter-patter like the feet of the dog going hither and thither on the sand far below me, and there were more bird-like sounds, but that was all.

   • 2012, The Onion Book of Known Knowledge, page 82:

     Frail, birdlike wrists and no muscle anywhere on his tiny frame.

Derived terms

• birdlikeness
• nonbirdlike
• unbirdlike

Translations

similar to a bird

• Danish: fugleagtig
• Greek: πτηνόμορφος (el) (ptinómorfos)
• Hungarian: madárszerű
• Manx: ushagoil
• Welsh: aderynnaidd

See also

• volucrine

Adverb

birdlike (comparative more birdlike, superlative most birdlike)

1. (postpositive) In the manner of a bird; as, to fly.

Hyponyms

• turkey-like

Translations

in the manner of a bird

• Dutch: vogelachtig

Anagrams

• Kilbride