avadavat

Also am·a·da·vat

[av-uh-duh-vat]

noun

1. a waxbill, Estrilda amandava, native to Asia, having in the male scarlet plumage with white dots on the sides and breast: raised as a cage bird.

avadavat

/ ˌævədəˈvæt, ˌæmədəˈvæt /

noun

1. either of two Asian weaverbirds of the genus Estrilda, esp E. amandava, having a red plumage: often kept as cagebirds

Word History and Origins

Origin of avadavat¹

First recorded in 1770–80; earlier amaduvad, after Amidavad, a 17th century name (perhaps from Portuguese ) for Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, from where the birds were first exported

Word History and Origins

Origin of avadavat¹

C18: from Ahmadabad, Indian city from which these birds were brought to Europe

Example Sentences

When I went there in July, I saw jet-black hill mynahs with their neon orange beaks, finch-size green avadavats with their yellow bellies and zebra-striped flanks, lovebirds, cockatoos, and various parakeets.

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Perhaps the most attractive of small foreign birds is the avadavat, a tiny, perky little soldier.

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Red avadavats, or munias, are dyed to be sold for 10 times more as rare green avadavats.

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