ostrich

[ aw-strich, os-trich ]

noun
  1. a large, two-toed, swift-footed flightless bird, Struthio camelus, indigenous to Africa and Arabia, domesticated for its plumage: the largest of living birds.

  2. (not used scientifically) a rhea.

  1. a person who attempts to ignore unpleasant facts or situations.

Origin of ostrich

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ostrice, ostriche, from Old French ostrusce (compare French autruche, ) from unattested Vulgar Latin avistrūthius, for Latin avis “bird” + Late Latin strūthiō, from Late Greek strouthíōn; see struthious

Other words from ostrich

  • os·trich·like, adjective

Words Nearby ostrich

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How to use ostrich in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ostrich

ostrich

/ (ˈɒstrɪtʃ) /


nounplural -triches or -trich
  1. a fast-running flightless African bird, Struthio camelus, that is the largest living bird, with stout two-toed feet and dark feathers, except on the naked head, neck, and legs: order Struthioniformes: See ratite Related adjective: struthious

  2. American ostrich another name for rhea

  1. a person who refuses to recognize the truth, reality, etc: a reference to the ostrich's supposed habit of burying its head in the sand

Origin of ostrich

1
C13: from Old French ostrice, from Latin avis bird + Late Latin struthio ostrich, from Greek strouthion

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